OREANDA-NEWS. On September 30, 2008 The Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank approved a US60 million loan to the Republic of Belarus for a Water Supply and Sanitation Project, reported the press-centre of World Bank.

The project aims to increase the efficiency, quality, and sustainability of water supply and sanitation services to 1.7 million people living in 20 rayons across the country. This is the first operation under the recently approved World Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy for Belarus (2008-2011) targeted at areas that improve people’s livelihoods and contribute to protecting the environment.
 
“The World Bank is the largest external financier in the water sector, with a portfolio of US20 billion in water-related projects in more than 100 countries. The borrowing brings not only financial resources, but extensive knowledge and experience in water sector operations across the globe,” said Martin Raiser, World Bank Country Director for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova.
 
The project consists of three components. The first component with an allocation of US53.60 million will finance water supply development through rehabilitation and construction of deep wells, pumping stations, transmission mains, distribution network, ground and elevated reservoirs, and iron removal plants. This component will also finance rehabilitation of the wastewater collection system and wastewater treatment plants including the installation of pumping stations, sludge dewatering systems, collection networks, and monitoring stations and small laboratories.
 
The second component, in the amount of US6.05 million, will finance engineering and construction management activities needed in order to undertake the investments in component 1. These include engineering preparation, preparation of feasibility studies and designs as well as bidding documents. It will also include advisory services and construction supervision, as well as, monitoring and evaluation and reporting on audits.
 
The third component, worth US0.20 million will ensure project monitoring as well as training to enhance technical capacity and competence of the participating utilities.   The project will be implemented by a Project Coordinating Team within the Republican Unitary Enterprise Zilkommuntekhnika reporting to the Ministry of Housing and Utilities. 
 
According to Kanthan Shankar, World Bank Task Team Leader for the project, “The Belarus Water and Sanitation Project complements the government’s own National Water Development Program ‘Chistaya Voda’.   We hope our collaboration contributes to furthering innovation, modernization, and capacity development of the Belarus water sector.”
 
The project will be financed through a Specific Investment Loan with the Variable Spread Loan in US dollars including five years’ grace and level repayment of the principal.
 
Belarus joined the World Bank in 1992. Since then, commitments to the country total US318 million for 7 operations.