OREANDA-NEWS. On August 13, 2008 President Alexander Lukashenko signed Decree No 417 “On Attracting a Loan of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to Implement the Water Supply and Drainage System Development Project”, reported the Official website http://president.gov.by.
 
The purpose of this document is to ensure the implementation of the Water Supply and Drainage System Development Project which is a crucially important social project. The project seeks to increase the percentage of people in Belarus enjoying central water supply and drainage, improve the quality of running water as supplied to the population and other users and cut down the unjustified water losses. The ecological situation will improve, too, through the improved quality of sewage treatment and reduced amount of contaminating substances dropped into water reservoirs.

The project will affect 22 water supply and drainage facilities in all regions of Belarus.
 
To finance the project, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development will provide a special investment loan in US dollars. The interest rate will be tagged to the LIBOR rate and subject to revision every six months. The loan is provided for 17 years, including the period of deferred payment on the principal – 5 years.

The project will run for five years starting from the moment of signing of the Loan Agreement. The Ministry for Housing and Utilities has been authorised to co-ordinate the implementation of the project.