Disposal of faeces near Kandy wate treatment plant

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Reports have surfaced that the water in the Mahaweli River is at risk of being contaminated due to the waste disposed at the Gohagoda Garbage Dump and surrounding areas. Area correspondent of News 1st stated that there is a very serious issue at present due to the threat of feces contaminating the water. The distance between the Gohagoda Garbage Dump and the Mahaweli River is roughly 50 meters. For over three decades garbage has been dumped at this site and at present, the garbage mountain is over 200 meters in height. It is at a location close to this Garbage Dump that the Kandy Municipal Council disposes of human waste as well. What is most surprising is that the Water Treatment Plant in Kandy obtains water from the Mahaweli River from a location which is just two meters away from the site where the human waste is disposed, the Gohagoda Garbage Dump is also located roughly one kilometer away from the Water Treatment Plant. Duty Engineer of the Polgolla Dam, Athula Pushpakumara he said they have not been informed of such an issue by the special field investigations unit. He added that when they come across such an issue or when a complaint is made they would discuss it with the Kandy Municipal Council and resolve the matter. If an immediate solution is not provided to the situation there will be serious environmental complications in the area.