15 percent jump in pipe-borne water use –– NWSDB

Water consumption in Sri Lanka had increased by 15 percent in recent weeks due to the prevailing dry and unusually warm weather, coupled with high humidity, a senior official of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) said on Wednesday (13).

As a result, pipe-borne water consumers living in higher grounds and those living in outermost areas of water projects would experience low water pressure, the official said.

NWSDB said it had not resorted to water cuts in any area but requested people to use water sparingly due to the declining water level in the rivers used as sources for piped drinking water.

Earlier Deputy General Manager of NWSDB Anoja Kaluarachchi said the Met Department has warned there will not be significant rainfall until May and thus the NWSDB needs to manage its water till then.

She added that the country has been experiencing dry weather for about nine weeks, and the water level of rivers and reservoirs has dropped, impacting the amount of water intake for distribution.