Water Board urges public to use resource sparingly amidst drought 

• Says overall water supply capacity of the NWSDB has dropped by 9%
• Stresses continuous water supply to Colombo and Gampaha will depend on water levels at Ambatale and Biyagama plants
• Asks public to not use purified water supplied for non-household purposes 

National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) Deputy General Manager (Development) Anoja Kaluarachchi addressing a press conference yesterday urged the public to use water sparingly amidst the dry weather conditions faced by the country. 

 “The water levels of reservoirs across the country has reduced by 50% but the overall daily purified drinking water supply capacity of the NWSDB has decreased only by 9%. We are continuously supplying water to households,” she noted. 

She also provided assurance that the Labugama and Kalatuwawa reservoirs contain sufficient water levels to meet public resource needs for the upcoming two months. “We can manage it to provide continuous supply,” she said. 

Kalurachchi said if the water levels at the Ambatale and Biyagama and Water Treatment Plants remain favourable the NWSDB will be able to provide continuous supply to the Colombo and Gampaha districts. 

 “We are currently releasing water from certain plants on a shift basis. We will have to limit the number of hours we provide the water supply for certain areas based on the water levels,” she added. 

She therefore urged the public to use the resource sparingly and avoid using purified drinking water supplied by the board for non-essential purposes.