National Water Supply and Drainage Board Law, No. 2 of 1974.

A National Water Supply and Drainage Board shall be established as a body corporate under section 2. The Board shall consist of specified public officers and four members appointed by the Minister based on their experience, knowledge or capacity (sect. 5). The Minister may give directions to the Board under section 12. The Minister may, by Order published in the Gazette, declare any area of Sri Lanka to be an area under authority of the Board. In such areas the Authority shall develop and operate an efficient water supply, a co-ordinated sewerage system, take over and carry on water supply or sewerage systems under section 57 or under section 64, and supply water in bulk to local authorities (sect. 16). Section 17 specifies powers of the Board. It may enter into joint schemes with public bodies or other entities approved by the Minister for purposes of water supply and sewerage services. Only the Board shall supply water in an area under its authority (sect. 21). The Board may undertake all actions relating to construction or maintenance of waterworks as specified in sections 22 to 24.
Sections 25 to 38 concern the (control of) use of water. Payers of water rates shall have free access to water supply (sect. 25.). Sections 40 to 56 provide for the construction and maintenance of sewers and related matters. Undertakings of the Department of Water Supply and Drainage shall be transferred to the Board under section 57. Local authorities may transfer undertakings based on a voluntary transfer scheme under section 58. Section 59 provides for a compulsory transfer scheme. Sections 60 to 67 concern procedures and related matters of voluntary and compulsory transfer schemes. Remaining provisions of this Act deal with staff of the Board (sects. 68 to 76), finance and audit (sects. 78 to 83), rates and charges to be fixed by the Board (sects. 84 to 88), regulation making powers of the Minister and the Board, acquisition of land, and other miscellaneous matters. (sects. 89-100).