Water-intake of the Jaffna and Kilinochchi Water Supply Project in Sri Lanka [Photo/sinomach.com.cn]

The Jaffna and Kilinochchi Water Supply Project, jointly undertaken by Sinomach subsidiary China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) and local enterprises in Sri Lanka, was recently awarded a certificate of acceptance by the owner.

The project, as a major livelihood project in Sri Lanka, will improve drinking water supply in the urban areas of the Jaffna Peninsula, one of the less-developed regions of Sri Lanka, and benefit 300,000 residents.

The clean water will reduce the incidence of kidney diseases, dengue fever, hepatitis and other water-borne diseases among the local people, and significantly improve their living standards and health.

The Jaffna district witnessed the Sri Lanka Civil War, which left the region with poor infrastructure, especially water supplies. When the dry season comes, rivers are cut off and it is difficult to get clean drinking water. The project, the first of its kind in the district after the war, is designed to help local people access stable, sustainable and reliable drinking water.

The project was funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the French Development Agency, and includes the construction of three reservoirs and the laying of submarine and land water pipelines for the urban area of Jaffna and the islands, a huge test for engineering technology.

The project, launched on July 26, 2016, experienced the world-shaking Terrorist Attacks in Sri Lanka (April 21) and the globally sweeping COVID-19 epidemic. CMEC’s project team actively cooperated with local partners to ensure the smooth progress of the project.

The project is CMEC’s first ADB project in Sri Lanka, and CMEC is the first Chinese company to take part in a water supply project in Jaffna district. ADB projects are renowned for being highly competitive, and CMEC stood out from many competing international enterprises, confirming that the company has made significant headway in international bidding in Sri Lanka and throughout the South Asian market.

Co-execution is another breakthrough in the localization of CMEC in Sri Lanka. The company gained more experience in international bidding, project management, localized operation and talent training via the project, strengthening the foundation for subsequent development of the international market.