Govt. to better manage water resources via new legislation

Water Resources Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara

The Government hopes to better manage scarce water resources via new legislation, a move which the Cabinet of Ministers approved on Monday. 

The Government said the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB), established in 1975 under the provisions of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board Act, No. 2 of 1974, currently operates 331 water supply schemes, 2.4 million domestic connections and 207,000 commercial connections. 

The NWSDB contributes 43.8% of the 93.8% total safe drinking water coverage in the country. However, the NWSDB needs to take steps in the future to address rapid urbanisation, climate change, rising consumer demand for water and the use of digital technology in the water sector. The Government said that although the NWSDB Act had been amended several times to address these issues, it was identified that the Act needed to be further amended to suit the present requirements. 

In view of this and based on a proposal by Water Resources Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Cabinet approved the decision to appoint a committee headed by the Water Ministry Secretary to prepare a preliminary draft, taking into consideration recommendations from public and private sector stakeholders regarding the amendments to be made to the NWSDB Act.

Separately, Cabinet also approved the decision to amend the Water Resource Board Act, No. 29 of 1964.

The Government said relevant orders had been published in the Gazette notification dated 16 March 2017, as per the provisions of the Water Resources Board Act, No. 29 of 1964, with the intent of controlling groundwater, utilising for commercial purposes unlimitedly, and preventing water pollution, under the supervision and control of the Water Resource Board. 

However, it had been observed that the Water Resources Board Act did not have adequate provisions for imposing penalties for the offenses related therein. The Act does not currently include adequate legal provisions to deal with legal violations. 

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal tabled by Minister Nanayakkara to introduce the appropriate legal grants in order to impose the required provisions for the aforesaid functions and the other challenges faced by the Water Board when discharging services.