Water Board facing financial issues due to pending payments of Rs. 5.1 Bn

COLOMBO (News 1st): The National Water Supply and Drainage Board on Friday (Jan. 21) revealed that arrears payments amounting to Rs. 5.1 billion is yet to be collected from the consumers, and as a result of these pending payments, the Water Board is facing severe financial difficulties to ensure the process of water supply as the costs incurred cannot be covered.  "Of the total arrears, the domestic consumers must settle around Rs. 3700 million; while Government institutions including, hospitals, Government offices, Army offices, and Police stations, should settle arrears payments amounting to Rs. 265 million," Ekanayake Weerasinghe, the Assistant General Manager of the Water Board elaborated. Moreover, close to Rs. 700 million is to be collected from commercial institutions including businesses and factories, while another Rs. 280 million of arrear payments should be settled for Public Water Posts and around Rs. 60 million should be collected from religious places of worship and others, he added. According to the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, the main reason for such a deficit in the Water Bill payments is due to the grace period granted amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Assistant General Manager of the Water Board, Ekanayake Weerasinghe urged the people to settle the due payments to resolve the financial crisis at the Water Board, as soon as possible. "The failure to settle arrears payments could cause disruptions to the water supply in the future," he further noted.