The Organization had its beginnings as
a sub department under the Public Works Department, for
Water Supply & Drainage. In 1965, it became a division
under the Ministry of Local Government. From 1970, this
division functioned as a separate department under the Ministry
of Irrigation, Power & Highways and remained so until
the present Board was established in January 1975 by an
Act of Parliament.
The National Water Supply
& Drainage Board (NWSDB), which presently functions under
the Ministry of Water Supply & Drainage is the principal
authority providing safe drinking water and facilitating the
provision of sanitation in
Sri Lanka
. In accordance with
the Board Act. several major Urban Water Supply Schemes operated
by Local Authorities were taken over by the NWSDB to provide
more coverage & improved service. Consumer metering &
billing commenced in 1982. Rural Water Supply & Sanitation
programmes including deep well programmes are also being implemented
by the NWSDB.
During the past 30 years
the organization has considerably expanded its scope of activities.
The employee numbers have increased from about one thousand
(1,000) in 1975 to nine thousand and six (9,006) in 2008.
The NWSDB is presently
operating 309 Water Supply Schemes which cover 34% of the
total population with pipe borne Water Supply, 10.0% of the
population is served with hand pump tube wells. We hope to
increase the coverage with pipe borne water to 40% by 2015
so that the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of
85% safe drinking water coverage can be achieved by that year.
The NWSDB is also in charge of the sewerage system in
Colombo
& suburbs.
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