National Water Supply and Drainage Board Laboratories services are structured as given bellow,

• Central Laboratory Services
• Regional Laboratories
• Plant Laboratories

Each laboratory is under the direction of a Chemist with technical coordination and consultation being provided by an Assistant General Manager (Laboratory Services).

Laboratory Layout

Central Laboratory

Central Laboratory functions as the Center for Water Quality Control. It serves as monitor for the activities of all levels of laboratories.

The Central Laboratory Services implements its sampling and analytical schedule as initiated by the AGM (Laboratory Services). It engages mainly operational monitoring and verification monitoring of water quality, research programs and promotes training. It functions as an active laboratory in water (microbiological, chemical, physical and toxic) wastewater, water treatment chemicals (alum, hydrated lime, bleaching powder, polyaluminium chloride, powder activated carbon & polyacrylamide compounds) heavy metals, volatile organic compounds including   pesticides and filter media disciplines. Central laboratory acts in an advisory capacity to process control and serve as the processing center for Analytical data to provide higher management levels in the organization.

Sri Lanka Accreditation Board for Conformity Assessment declares that Central laboratory of National Water Supply & Drainage Board having been found to comply with the accreditation criteria for testing laboratories as described in ISO / IEC 17025 : 2017, has been accredited as a testing laboratory under the field of chemical testing for water treatment chemicals; alum and hydrated lime.

Certificate of accreditation

Metal and heavy metal analysis

Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS)

Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) is a spectroscopic analysis technique that determines the concentration of a particular element in a sample by atomizing the contents of the sample and measuring the absorbance of a wavelength specific to that particular element in the gaseous state.

INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA OPTICAL EMISSION SPECTROMETER (ICP-OES)

This is emission mode of spectroscopy and it’s performed to identify and measure a range of chemical elements.

Analysis of volatile organic compounds

Gas Chromatograph (GC-MS)

Gas Chromatography is a common type of chromatography used in analytical chemistry for separating and analyzing compounds. Typical used of Gas Chromatography include testing the purity of a particular substance or separating the different components of a mixture.

Microbiological Testing

Enumeration of algae and cyano bacteria are being conducted under this section. In addition to that this is used to observe pathogens and other microbial organisms in wastewater and other water samples in critical situation.

Microbiological Laboratory

Total Coliform – Escherichia coli test

Membrane filter method and Colilert method are used to detect and count of Escherichia coli and Coliform bacteria.

 Total Plate Count

Total Plate Count analysis is the calculation of the number of bacterial colonies present in the sample with dilution as needed.

Regional Laboratories

 The regional laboratory functions as a field unit with the capability of performing routine microbiological and chemical analyses. The laboratory implements its sampling and analytical schedule initiated by the Regional Chemist. It is responsible for operational monitoring and verification monitoring by engaging with water safety plans to maintain to assure the water quality.  An active quality assurance programme is maintained. In addition to that, certain water testing methods have been developed according to the regional water quality issues.

Plant Laboratories

 This unit provides the basic data relative to those parameters specified by upper level laboratories. The water treatment plant officers maintain the selected sampling points throughout the system with the coordination of Chemist for the process control of water treatment process. These laboratories are mainly responsible in operational monitoring.

Organizational Structure 

Laboratory Network of National Water Supply and Drainage Board

ISO 17025:2005 Accredited Laboratories

• Central Laboratory  
• W/P Ambatale Laboratory
• Western South Laboratory
• Vavuniya Laboratory  
• Jaffna Laboratory
• W/P Kandana Laboratory
• W/P Biyagama Laboratory            

Facilities available in NWS&DB laboratories

 As Central Environmental Authority registered laboratories, Central laboratory and other Regional Laboratories are providing services for public by analyzing wastewater and also have facility to test other parameters as given bellow.

Bacteriological, Physical, Organoleptic, Chemical and Toxic Analysis

Bacteriological Analysis

Total Coliform

1. coli

Total Plate Counts

Physical and Organoleptic requirements

Chemical requirements

Toxic substances

Algal toxins

• Microcystins
• Cylindrospermopsin

Click here for Laboratory Rates

Laboratory Rates / Charges
Analytical Services have been fronted to the outside customers with the cost recovery basis and the test rates are as follows

Laboratory Rates / Charges
For noncommercial purpose 25% discount will be granted for laboratory testing according to the circular
issued by the General Manager. It is applied for the selected non commercial purposes.

Other Services of Laboratories

Analysis of Water Quality Data in Island wide

Water Quality Consultancy

• Consumers
• Bottle Water Industries
• Government/ Private Industries/ Factories
• Wastewater Management

Support Services

• Disaster managements
• Providing analytical data for academic and other purposes

Training and Awareness Programme

• School Children
• Public Sectors
• Government Employees
• Board Employees
• Undergraduates

Incident Management

• Technical Support
• Water Sample Analysis

  Island wide Laboratory Contact Details

Tab Content