People in Point Pedro depend on shallow wells for their drinking water and other purposes. Approximately 50 percent of the area's ground water is saline or brackish. Therefore, the people have to transport drinking water from nearby areas where fresh water is available, he said.

The project will bring a significant change to the lives of the people in the area, the Secretary said. He said the Point Pedro water supply project was implemented in the area in the post - war era to provide safe drinking water to the people affected by the conflict. "The project hopes to provide safe and purified drinking water to an estimated population of 22,000 people in the 20 Grama Niladhari divisions in Point Pedro," Abeygunasekera said.

Deputy Project Director Mohamed Razil said the shallow ground water aquifer at Vallipuram, four kms from the project area, has been identified as a source of water supply. Water obtained from four wells in Vallipuram will be pumped to the water tower and distributed to the people through a 36 km distribution system, he said. Point Pedro town was affected by the armed conflict for over three decades. The tsunami damaged most of the wells along the coast. The main source of drinking water in the peninsula is ground water.

The Asian Development Bank, International Federation of Red Cross Society and the government through the Economic Development Ministry are providing funds for the project.