By Eng. Sarath Obeysekera Former Chairman, Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC)

The recent announcement  ( Sunday Times 7th June) of a major Beira Lake clean-up programme has generated renewed hope that one of Colombo’s most iconic water bodies can finally be restored. Dredging, aerators, landscaping, jogging paths, and beautification projects are all welcome initiatives. However, if the root cause of pollution is not permanently eliminated, we will simply be spending billions of rupees treating symptoms rather than curing the disease.

During my tenure at the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC), I witnessed firsthand how pollution entered the lake. Contrary to popular belief, the problem is not merely floating garbage or accumulated silt. The real culprit is the continuous discharge of wastewater, sewage, and contaminated runoff from surrounding buildings, businesses, hotels, and unauthorized connections.

I vividly recall an incident involving a leading hotel located near Navam Mawatha. The hotel was discharging laundry wastewater into the lake through a large pipe. Numerous warnings had been issued, but no corrective action followed. Finally, I made the decision to have the pipe sealed with concrete.

Within hours, representatives from the hotel arrived in panic. My response was straightforward: the discharge would remain blocked until a proper wastewater treatment solution was implemented. Faced with no alternative, the hotel eventually took the necessary action. The lesson was simple—polluters respond when enforcement is firm and uncompromising.

On another occasion, while supervising lake-cleaning operations, a well-known Buddhist priest who had encroached on the lake reservation without approval arrived and attempted to intervene, claiming authority over the area. I respectfully but firmly informed him that no individual, regardless of status, was above the law when it came to protecting public assets and waterways.

These experiences highlight a fundamental truth: Beira Lake’s pollution problem is not a technical mystery. We know where much of the pollution originates. What is needed is the political will and engineering discipline to stop it.

My proposal is straightforward.

The entire perimeter of Beira Lake should be protected using a combination of sheet-pile walls and gabion structures. Every stormwater outlet, drainage connection, and discharge point should be channelled through controlled inspection chambers. This would create a physical barrier preventing illegal discharges from entering the lake unnoticed.

Such a system would function like a security checkpoint. Any building, hotel, restaurant, commercial establishment, or residence attempting to discharge untreated wastewater would be immediately identified. Instead of searching for hidden pollution sources after contamination occurs, authorities would be able to monitor and control every entry point into the lake.

Simultaneously, all major establishments surrounding the lake should be required to install and maintain wastewater treatment facilities. Continuous water-quality monitoring sensors should be installed at strategic locations with real-time reporting to regulatory authorities.

The billions allocated for dredging and beautification will certainly improve the appearance of the lake. But unless we stop untreated wastewater and sewage from entering the water, the pollution will inevitably return.

Beira Lake is not merely a body of water. It is a national asset located in the heart of Colombo. It has the potential to become a world-class urban waterfront comparable to successful lake restoration projects in Singapore and other modern cities.

The challenge before policymakers is clear. We can continue to clean the lake repeatedly, or we can permanently prevent pollution from entering it.

Engineering experience tells us that prevention is always cheaper than endless rehabilitation.

If we truly want a clean Beira Lake for future generations, we must build barriers, enforce regulations without fear or favour, identify every polluter, and eliminate illegal discharges once and for all.

Only then will the restoration become permanent rather than another expensive cycle of cleaning and re-cleaning.

Dr Sarath Obeysekera
Former Chairman, Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Develpment Corporation