Residents of Pallekelle have gone without clean drinking water for an extended period, with the crisis now threatening factory operations in the BOI Export Processing Zone, according to a report by The Island.
Even after pipe-borne supply was partially restored, community members report the water quality remains substandard. Companies within the BOI zone face “serious difficulties in carrying out daily factory operations for want of clean water,” the report states.
The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) draws water for the area from the Mahaweli River via the Victoria Reservoir. A dramatic decline in the reservoir’s water level has triggered the shortage.
The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) has alleged that excessive water withdrawals for electricity generation are responsible. The party contends that water is being diverted to compensate for reduced output at the Norochcholai power plant, which has been affected by the ongoing substandard coal procurement scandal.
The Pallekelle crisis adds a consumer-facing dimension to a chain of energy sector failures. Declining reservoir levels at Castlereigh and Maussakelle have already been flagged as threats to hydropower output, while the coal quality issues at Norochcholai continue to dominate political debate following this month’s no-confidence motion against the Energy Minister.
Source: The Island — reported by S.K. Samaranayake
