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Kelani Ganga pollution: Report on test samples due tomorrow
View(s):The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) will receive tomorrow the results of test samples of contaminated water from the Kelani Ganga sent to India, said its Chairman Alahudeen Ansar. Samples were sent to be tested in India when drinking water in several parts of Colombo was found to be contaminated after a leak in the diesel storage tank of the Coca Cola Beverages Company in Biyagama caused the oil to seep into the Kelani Ganga on August 17.
The leak forced the NWSDB to temporarily halt its service when consumers complained last week of a strange smell and oil in their water. The Central Environment Authority (CEA) immediately withdrew the Environment Protection License (EPL) from the company, temporarily halting its work. The CEA also worked with the Marine Environment Protection Authority to sponge the oil out of the river, allowing recommencement of the water supply that same evening.
However, again last Friday (28), the NWSDB announced a sudden water cut in the Dehiwala, Mount Lavinia and Kotte areas after residue from last week’s oil leak washed into the Kelani Ganga. ”Oil that was stagnating in the banks of the river was washed into the river after heavy rains on Friday,” said Mr. Ansar. He added that the situation was brought to the attention of the Board’s officials at the Ambatale Water Treatment Plant and pumping water stopped.
Mr. Ansar said residents in the Dehiwala, Mount Lavinia and Kotte areas did not receive water for a period of three hours from 1 p.m. due to the water cut till the oil was cleaned out. He guaranteed that oil from last week’s leak will not cause another water cut in the future.
Mr. Ansar also said it is believed diesel oil to be the cause of the water contamination but cannot confirm this because the Board cannot conduct tests to identify the ‘right’ chemicals. Samples were sent to Indian laboratories to check what was mixed with the water causing the massive contamination.
Meanwhile, CEA Chairman Prof. Lal Dharmasiri said that half the cost Government institutions had to suffer due to the leak was settled by the beverage company. ”Our joint investigation with institutions such as local authorities and the NWSDB confirmed that the leak was accidental. We are looking at an assurance that such an incident would not reoccur again in the company,” Prof. Dharmasiri said adding that it would be possible to reissue the EPL soon.
However bio-diversity conservationists claimed that these incidents were a result of incompetence of concerned Government institutions and could have been easily avoided. Bio-diversity Conservation and Research Worker Supun Lahiru Prakash said that after issuing an EPL, authorities should constantly monitor and ensure that the rules are followed.
“Companies are only set on making profits. They have waste treatment plants just to get the EPL. In most cases they release their waste water into rivers during heavy showers so the toxic chemicals will dilute easily,” Mr. Prakash said.
He added that the CEA and local authorities, who issue licenses to these companies, should regularly monitor the situation to see rules are observed to prevent such incidents.