HNB extended the safe drinking water and sanitation project to Gonewa, a village in the Rambewa divisional secretariat about 22 km from Anuradhapura. The villagers in Gonewa lacked sufficient sanitation facilities and access to fresh water prior to the launch of this project.

With latest research highlighting bowel diseases as one of the most critical health issues in the country it was timely and appropriate to extend this project to the benefit of villagers in Gonewa . Areas in and around Anuradhapura are prone to kidney diseases due to contaminated water by excessive use of weedicide and sub quality artificial manure.

HNB embarked on this ambitious safe drinking water and sanitation programme in 2008 following the millennium development goal of providing safe drinking water and sanitation as identified by the United Nations Organization.

The first two projects under this scheme were launched in Siruthopu, (a village in Mannar District) & Araly (a village in Jaffna District).

Through these projects more than 700 families are benefiting with access to wells and tanks that have been built along with taps in central areas of these villages providing the much-needed solution to the dire water and sanitation problems faced by the people in these areas.