The Railway Department has spent Rs 92,398,532 on water bills over the past three years for 546 railway quarters located in Kothalawalapura, Ratmalana, under the Chief Mechanical Engineering sub-department. During this period, officers residing in these houses were charged just Rs 5 per month for water, according to a report by the National Audit Office.

The audit revealed that the department incurs over Rs 30 million annually as water expenses for these quarters. It recommended the proper installation of water meters to manage and monitor usage effectively, thereby reducing unnecessary expenditure.

Responding to the audit, the Chief Accounting Officer of the Railway Department stated that new water meters have already been installed in 509 out of the 546 houses. The Chief Accounts Officer further clarified that meters have now been installed in the remaining 7 houses, which were unoccupied until recently.

The department confirmed that with the completion of meter installations, water bills are now being collected as scheduled, ensuring that bulk supply issues have been resolved and costs are better managed.