Sri Lanka declares drinking water situation as critical issue

COLOMBO, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government has decided to consider the drinking water situation in the South Asian country as a critical issue, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said on Tuesday.

The government has appointed an emergency action committee to implement an integrated program to ensure the available water is used optimally, the prime minister told the media.

The committee comprises secretaries from the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, the Department of Irrigation, and other government agencies, Gunawardena said.

Last week, Sri Lanka's National Water Supply and Drainage Board urged the public to save water as its capacity to supply purified drinking water has dropped to 9 percent.