Freshwater heavily polluted; refining cost surges By Namini Wijedasa View(s): View(s):Sri Lanka’s freshwater sources are now so polluted that the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) is spending increasingly more money to refine drinking water, the National Audit Office (NAO) and officials said. The steep cost was owing to high levels of contaminants in the water obtained for treatment, said the NAO report published online. The Rathmalana wastewater treatment plant was opened in 2013 to cater to 408 industries and around 20,000 people. It also said the authorities have not regularly tested the quality of marine water and the beach in areas such as Wellawatte and Mutwal outfalls. Several hospitals were observed not to have environmental protection licences for their wastewater treatment systems, with the Central Environmental Authority having failed to follow-up.

Source: Sunday Times September 05, 2021 00:45 UTC