• NWSDB insists substandard imported hydrated lime stock not used
• NAO reveals lack of proper inventory at NWSDB for key consumables

The final decision on the controversial shipment of hydrated lime imported for water purification remains pending despite multiple test results confirming that it exceeds the permissible chromium limit, The Sunday Morning reliably learns.

While the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) insists that the substandard stock has been kept separate and not used, concerns are mounting over repeated testing and delays in rejecting the shipment.

Opposition MP D.V. Chanaka first brought the issue to light in Parliament, claiming: “The new Government in the last two weeks has imported 27 containers with 550 MT of hydrated lime, which lab results show contain 14 milligrammes of chromium per 1 kilogramme.”

This exceeds the 10 mg/kg limit set by the Ministry of Health, NWSDB, and Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI). 

Despite these findings, authorities have opted for continued testing instead of immediate rejection.

An industry expert who previously held a senior position at the NWSDB strongly criticised this approach, emphasising that sample testing was not done on just one sample, but that it was done instead on a series of samples.

Given that multiple tests have already confirmed the product’s failure to meet safety standards, the expert questioned the need for further testing. 

“If the material is unfit for use, why isn’t it being rejected? Why is there a need to test over and over again?” he questioned.

Adding to the concerns, the expert also pointed out that at a time when the safety of the imported hydrated lime was under scrutiny, it was questionable to even consider raising the standard in Sri Lanka.

The normal procedure for importing hydrated lime involves a strict quality assurance process.

Typically, NWSDB engineers conduct pre-shipment inspections in the source country before a consignment is approved. Upon arrival in Sri Lanka, additional tests are conducted in an International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-certified laboratory before the material is released for use.

However, in this case, the Opposition MP alleges that these standard protocols were not followed, allowing the consignment to reach Sri Lanka without proper quality checks. 

“How did this consignment come to Sri Lanka?” Chanaka questioned in Parliament. “The Water Board has sent the sample for testing to a private lab instead of re-exporting it, and the lab test showed 14 mg of content. Now they are asking that the guidelines be changed.”

NAO revelations 

Beyond the immediate concerns over the quality of the imported lime, a deeper issue has emerged: the lack of proper inventory management within the NWSDB.

As revealed by the National Audit Office (NAO), inventory levels had not been properly established for key consumables such as hydrated lime, aluminium sulfate, bleaching powder, chlorine, and polyaluminium chloride.

Due to limitations in the Management Information System (MIS), the NWSDB has struggled to track stock age and define necessary stock levels, leading to incorrect assessments of material requirements in decision-making. This inefficiency has, on multiple occasions, contributed to misjudged procurement decisions and potential supply shortages, it has been revealed.

As revealed by the NAO, a striking example of procurement mismanagement involves a contract for 2,500 MT of hydrated lime, which was awarded with an unfavourable variance of Rs. 49.37 million beyond the estimated price.

This contract (No. SUP&MM/CHEM/HL-01/2021/22) was initially awarded to the lowest bidder, but complications had arisen when the contractor had requested an exemption for the manganese content parameter. Since this exemption had violated the original bid requirements, the contract was cancelled. 

However, due to fears of stock shortages, delays in contract agreements, Letter of Credit (LC) opening delays, and extended manufacturing and shipment periods, the next lowest bidder was awarded the contract upon the recommendation of a special committee, as stated in the NAO report.

Potential solutions 

The health risks associated with excessive chromium levels in drinking water are significant. Chromium contamination can cause cancer, kidney and liver damage, intestinal problems, and reproductive health issues. Pregnant women who consume water with high chromium levels are at risk of giving birth to babies with low birth weight or deformities.

Despite assurances from the NWSDB that the failed shipment has been kept separate, the expert who spoke to The Sunday Morning stressed that instead of delaying action through unnecessary testing, Sri Lanka should consider alternatives that do not rely on imported hydrated lime.

“Sri Lankan dolomite can be used in place of hydrated lime as a purification material,” the expert pointed out.

In fact, the NWSDB’s own research team has already developed a solution for this.

Two months ago, the NWSDB’s research unit was awarded a patent for the process of removing excess magnesium from Sri Lankan dolomite, making it suitable for water purification.

The expert stressed that with this innovation, the Water Board should immediately begin the process of adopting dolomite as a replacement for hydrated lime.

“What the NWSDB should do now is call for tenders, shortlist dolomite suppliers, and start using dolomite,” the expert said.

As learnt by The Sunday Morning, currently, Sri Lanka imports hydrated lime mainly from China and India. The NWSDB typically maintains a three-month buffer stock, ensuring that there is no immediate shortage of purification material.

Nevertheless, according to the expert, with the patented process now in place, transitioning to locally sourced dolomite could eliminate the risks associated with importing chemically inconsistent batches of hydrated lime while also supporting local industries.

NWSDB response

However, in such a backdrop, when contacted by The Sunday Morning, NWSDB General Manager Eng. T. Barathithasan said that the NWSDB had sufficient stocks for water purification even without the recently imported stocks. 

When questioned about the testing process and whether the NWSDB would reject the samples, Barathithasan declined to answer, saying it was too early to comment.

Meanwhile, when contacted by The Sunday Morning, SLSI Director General Dr. Siddhika Senaratne said that the SLSI had not received any stocks from the NWSDB recently.

NWSDB Chairman Eng. Deepthi Sumanasekera told The Sunday Morning that the questionable hydrated lime stocks would not be used for water purification, adding that the supplier was responsible for replacing them with quality stocks. “We will not make the payment to the supplier until we receive quality stocks,” he said.