Sri Lanka: Water
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with her counterpart in Sri Lanka regarding water pollution in Chunnakam; and what steps her Department has taken to support improvements in water quality in Sri Lanka.
Answered by Seema Malhotra
We are aware of the continued concerns about water quality relating to the Chunnakam power plant in Jaffna. Our High Commission in Colombo regularly engages with the Sri Lankan authorities on water management and environmental issues and with local communities on environmental concerns.
The UK supports sustainable water management in Sri Lanka through the 'Improving Groundwater Management in the Jaffna Peninsula' Initiative implemented by the International Water Management Institute. The programme works with local communities, researchers and Sri Lankan government authorities and is helping communities better understand and manage water resources. Officials from our High Commission in Colombo most recently visited Jaffna in February 2026 to assess programme progress and engage with local stakeholders to hear their concerns.
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