Running Dry

The Water Board has asked for Danish help to fund a water treatment plant on the right bank of the Kelani River to bridge a 20-mn gallon a day shortfall to Greater Colombo.







The Water Board has asked for Danish help to fund a water treatment plant on the right bank of the Kelani River to bridge a 20-mn gallon a day shortfall to Greater Colombo.

The proposed 40 MGD (million gallons per day) plant was to be private sector built and run, until the recent anti-private shift in government policy.

On Build Own and Transfer (BOT) basis, the water produced was to be sold to the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) and then distributed to consumers on the existing network.

“The government has recognised the necessity for the project, but no longer on BOT basis.

They are looking for alterative funding sources and the government has asked the Department of External Resources (ERD) to look into it,” a senior Water Board official said.

“We have approached the Danish to fund the project under their Mixed Credit program but they will have to do their appraisal and this might take some weeks,” Additional Director General at the ERD, Mr.

Jayamaha said.