Announcement of World Bank Lends Twenty-Six Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars for a Second Urban Sewerage Project in Tunisia on March 26, 1979

. . FO·R IMMEDIA tE RELEASE . •World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Telephone: (202) 477-1234 BANK NEWS RELEASE NO. 79/63 March 26, 1979 WORLD BANK LENDS $26.5 MILLION FOR A SECOND URBAN SEWERAGE PROJECT IN TUNISIA The World Bank has approved a $26.5 million loan to the Republic of Tunisia for a Second Urban Sewerage Project. The loan will be on-lent by the government to the National Sewerage Authority (ONAS) on the same terms I as the Bank loan. The $77.5 million project will support the government's overall policy and priorities for extending sewerage facilities to match the national program of • water supply expansion. It consists of (i) a second stage of sewerage for greater Tunis which will provide additional treatment capacity and faci ~ities to improve the existing sewerage and storm water systems to serve greater Tunis; (ii) a component for Sfax which will complement existing treatment capacity and improve the sewer/storm water system; and (iii) technical assistance to strengthen the project planning and control capability of ONAS. The main benefits of the project wili be pollution control of the Lake of Tunis, increased access of urban dwellers in Tunis and Sfax to the sewerage facilities with a decrease in health hazards attributable to poor methods of waste disposal, and institutional improvements for ONAS. The World Bank loan is for a term of 17 years, including 4 years. of_ grace, with interest at 7% per annum . • NOTE: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dollar equivalents. FORM NO. 1121 (5-76) T EC HN I CAL DAT A PROJECT: COUNTRY: TOTAL COST: Second Urban Sewerage Republic of Tunisia $77 . 5 mi 11 i on • BANK FINANCING: $26.5 million, for a term of 17 years, including 4 years of grace, with interest at 7% per annum OTHER FINANCING: Government of Tunisia IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: National Sewerage Authority (ONAS) Cable Address: (Office National d'Assainissement) ONASTU 8, rue du Senegal Tunis Tunis, Tunisia PROJECT DESCRIPTION: It consists of: (i) a second stage development of sewerage facilities for greater Tunis; (ii) improvement and exten- sion of existing sewerage facilities for Sfax; and (iii) technical assistance to • strengthen the planning and control capacity of ONAS. PROCUREMENT: The project works will comprise about 25 contracts, which, except as noted below, will be awarded on the basis of international competitive bidding in accordance with Bank guidelines. For bid evalua- tion purposes, a 15% margin of preference of c. i.f. price or an amount equal to custom duties, whichever is lower, will be applied in the case of equipment manufactured in Tunisia. Contracts for civil works, materials, and equipment of less than $150,000 aggregat.ing not more than $1,500,000 will be awarded on the basis of competitive bidding advertised locally. Certain specialized equipment, up to an aggregate value not exceeding $500,000 may be obtained by procurement procedures acceptable to the Bank. CONSULTANTS: About 102 man-months of consultant services for project planning and control will be provided. ECONOMIC RATE OF RETURN: 18% for pollution control components of the first and second urban sewerage projects. This rate applies to about $38.6 million of total project cost. • EST IMATED COMP LET ION DATE: 1983. - 0 -