Water supplies to parts of Colombo and Gampaha were temporarily suspended after authorities received information that a chemical substance had entered the environment from a private industrial facility upstream of key water treatment plants.
The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) suspended operations at the Ambatale and Biyagama water treatment plants on Monday (24) night as a precaution after concerns were raised about the quality of water drawn from the Kelani River for treatment and distribution.
NWSDB Chairman Chandana Bandara said the board was informed at about 11:30 p.m. that waste or a chemical substance from a private industrial facility located upstream of the two treatment plants may have entered the environment.
He said the plants were temporarily shut down to protect the public while tests were conducted to determine whether the water had been affected.
Water supplies were restored after subsequent tests confirmed that the quality of the water met the required standards, Bandara said.
Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Director Pradeep Kodippili said authorities acted immediately after receiving information about the incident and coordinated with district disaster management officials and water management authorities to prevent the substance from entering the drinking water supply.
According to the DMC, preliminary information indicated that the chemical was non-toxic.
Kodippili said the incident occurred while a consignment of chemicals belonging to a private company was being transported.
The Gampaha District Director of the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), S.P. Samarakoon, told BBC Sinhala that a chemical container had leaked while being transported to the company. The vehicle was subsequently taken to a yard and washed, resulting in the chemical entering the surrounding environment, he said.
Laboratory tests are being conducted to identify and assess the chemical, Samarakoon said.
Authorities have also launched a wider investigation into the release of the substance into the environment. Bandara said a police complaint and complaints to relevant authorities had been lodged to determine the circumstances that led to the incident.
Bandara apologised for the temporary disruption to the water supply, saying the decision was taken as a precautionary safety measure. (Newswire)