Sri Lanka’s capital to get better water supply: ADB

Oct 01, 2013 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's capital Colombo and surrounding areas will get 24 hour water supply and water losses will be plugged under a new program financed with an 88 million US dollar credit, Asian Development Bank said. "Though 95 percent of Colombo is covered by a piped water supply system, the distribution network was built more than 100 years ago," said Rita O'Sullivan, ADB's country director in Sri Lanka said.

"It no longer fully meets today’s needs. The system upgrade is expected to bring 24/7 water supply including to some areas which have only a mere six to ten hour supply a day."

The newly approved loan tranche is part of a 300 million US dollar credit to upgrade water and sanitation in greater Colombo. The first 84 million dollar tranche was approved in 2012. The balance is expected in 2015 and 2016.

The tranche just released, would upgrade the water distribution system and reduce non-revenue water in the south of Colombo, strengthen the institutional structure of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board and Colombo Municipal Council.

The loan will also be used to complete designs for the next phase of water investments.

Sri Lanka is planning to spend 1.5 billion US dollars in up