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, according to a report by the National Audit Office.

During this period, officers residing in these houses were charged only Rs 5 per month for water usage. The audit revealed that the department incurs over Rs 30 million annually as water expenses for these quarters. It recommended the installation of water meters to effectively monitor and reduce unnecessary water consumption.

Responding to the audit findings, 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 remaining 7 houses, which were previously unoccupied, have now been equipped with meters as well.

The department confirmed that water bills are now being collected as scheduled, resolving previous bulk supply issues and ensuring better cost management.