Residents of the Jaffna peninsula and the Kilinochchi region now enjoy the benefits of improved water supply and sanitation facilities, following the completion of two phases of the Jaffna Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project by Sierra Construction Limited., a leading engineering and construction solutions company in Sri Lanka.
Funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Sri Lanka, the work entrusted to Sierra involved the construction of 15 water towers on behalf of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) of Sri Lanka.
Work began in December 2014 and the completed towers are to be formally handed over by Sierra Construction at the end of the year. Eight water towers were constructed in the towns of Palai, Kodikamam, Nallur, Karainagar, Pungudutivu, Kayts, Vaddukkodai, and at the Jaffna Municipal Council (Old Park). Another seven water towers were constructed in the areas of Puttur, Meesalai, Poonakari, Navatkuli, Kaddudai, Velanai, and Mandaithivu.
Ranging between 250 m3 and 1800 m3 in capacity, these water towers cumulatively provide storage for 10,000 cubic metres or 10 million litres of water and are expected to contribute significantly to an improvement in health and human development in the areas they serve, and help meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of the Government of Sri Lanka. These towers increase access to safe drinking water in the targeted Urban Council and Pradeshiya Sabha areas, the Company said.
Contracted at a total value of Rs 1,140 million, the infrastructure is estimated to benefit 600,000 persons living in the Peninsula and the northern mainland, and will be maintained for a period of 12 months by Sierra Construction.
“Winning contracts of this nature brings us a degree of satisfaction that goes beyond the boundaries of business,” Mr Anura Premarathne, Chief Operating Officer (Water Supply & Sewerage) at Sierra Construction said. “This is because the work contributes to the development of the country and the elevation of the quality of life of our people. Everybody at Sierra goes the extra mile to ensure the best possible outcome.”
Sierra Construction Limited. is a fully owned subsidiary of the diversified Sierra Holdings Pvt Ltd., which has interests in cable manufacturing, PVC manufacturing, fertilizer manufacturing and leisure in addition to construction.
One of the leading general engineering and construction solutions providers in Sri Lanka in Telecommunication, IT, Water Supply and Sewerage, Road and bridges, Buildings and Piling Sierra Construction has been in the business of providing turnkey engineering solutions since 1981. The Company employs over 4,000 people in Sri Lanka and has a strong presence in Myanmar and the Maldives. An ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified company, Sierra possesses CS2, the highest Grade issued by CIDA – the Construction Industry Development Authority – in the field of construction.