You With You — Colombo: In a decisive move to address a long-standing public health crisis, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (July 10) officially launched two major water supply initiatives in the North Central Province. These projects are designed to deliver safe, clean drinking water to thousands of households historically plagued by groundwater contamination.
The twin developments mark a critical milestone in the country's rural infrastructure expansion, targeting regions severely affected by high fluoride levels in the water table, a major contributor to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
Clean Water for Thambuttegama: The Angamuwa Initiative
The first major highlight of the day was the official inauguration of the Thambuttegama Water Supply Project under the patronage of the President.
Drawing its water directly from the Angamuwa Reservoir, this newly completed facility is engineered to provide an immediate and reliable source of purified drinking water to local communities who have long depended on unsafe natural wells.
Key Impact Metrics:
- Target Areas: The project fully covers the Thambuttegama Divisional Secretariat Division, while expanding its distribution grid into parts of the neighboring Thalawa and Galnewa divisions.
- Community Coverage: A total of 42 Grama Niladhari (local administrative) divisions will be connected to the grid.
- Beneficiaries: Over 91,810 residents are set to benefit directly from this clean water network.
- New Connections: The infrastructure deploys 25,000 new domestic water connections, ensuring high-quality, pressurized drinking water directly to households.
Expanding the Grid: Anuradhapura North Water Supply Project (Phase II)
Simultaneously, President Dissanayake laid the foundation stone to commence construction on the second phase of the Anuradhapura North Water Supply Project. The groundbreaking ceremony took place at the Kebithigollewa Water Supply Complex.
This ambitious phase looks toward long-term sustainability, aiming to radically transform water security across some of the most arid sectors of the district over the next decade.
Vision for 2034 and Beyond:
- Geographical Outreach: The expansive pipeline will cut across four key Divisional Secretariat Divisions: Padaviya, Horowpathane, Kahatagasdigiliya, and Kebithigollewa, encompassing 119 Grama Niladhari divisions.
- Long-term Demographics: By the year 2034, the project is projected to serve a population of 170,951 people.
- Massive Infrastructure Scale: The blueprint includes the installation of 50,000 new household water connections, linking remote villages to a centralized purification system.
A Strategic Shield Against Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
Beyond basic infrastructure, the Anuradhapura North expansion carries profound health implications for the dry zone of Sri Lanka. For decades, the local populace has battled high rates of Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology (CKDu), heavily linked by medical researchers to excessive fluoride and heavy metals in deep groundwater.
By substituting deep well water with heavily monitored, treated surface water, the government expects a sharp decline in new kidney disease diagnoses, securing the health of future generations.
This nationally significant development initiative is being jointly funded and implemented by the Government of Sri Lanka in close partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), reinforcing a long-standing bilateral commitment to sustainable development goals (SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation).
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