ITEM in THe ISLAND, March 2026, entitled “Lanka discovers largest groundwater source”
The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) on Friday said the largest groundwater source discovered in Sri Lanka so far had been identified during tube-well drilling near the Pitabeddara Police Station.
According to the NWSDB, the tube well was drilled following geological studies of rock layers and the identification of underground water through fractures in rock strata using specialised technical instruments.
The Board said steps would be taken to distribute water from the newly discovered source to residents facing shortages in Pitabeddara, Morawaka and surrounding areas.
A blessing n disguise at a time when water shortages can affect the lives and livelihoods in many parts of the country.
Hopefully they will carry out a comprehensive regional seismic survey using state of the science equipment and methodology to identify and map out the underground aquifers together with other lotic and lentic waters before they drill into the these subterranean water bodies. Arbitrary ground drilling may cause fractures to existing subterranean aquatic ecosystems and lead to massive earth subsidence. That may, in turn, gravely affect all buildings in the area and may trigger off landslides also in montane areas such as Deniyaya and Pitabeddara.
Speaking from the position of an IGNORAMUS in this field this COMMENT is an importantcaution