67% of Sri Lankan lacks access to safe drinking water

A recent survey conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, the Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development Ministry, and UNICEF has found that nearly 67 percent of Sri Lanka's population still lacks sustainable access to safe drinking water. 

Prof. P.P.A. Wasantha Athukorala from the Department of Economics & Statistics at Peradeniya University disclosed these findings to the ZiraDaily. The survey, which sampled 3,210 housing units across urban, rural, and plantation areas in 25 districts, highlights a significant issue in the country’s water supply.

The results indicate that approximately 3.5 million people in Sri Lanka do not have access to safe drinking water sources. This underscores an urgent need for enhanced water purification supplies and improved water treatment systems to address the needs of both urban and rural populations.