Announcement of Two Million One Hundred Thousand Dollars for Water Supply Project in Tunisia on June 6, 1977

•World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. • Telephone: (202) 393-6360 WORLD BANK NEWS RELEASE NO. 77/121 $21 MILLION FOR WATER SUPPLY PROJECT IN TUNISIA The World Bank has approved a 1oan of $21 mi 11 ion to help finance a fourth water supply project in Tunisia~ The loan will assist the Sociit~ National d'Exploitation et de Distribution des Eaux (SONEDE) to finance the $102.9 million project. Construction works include production faci Ii ties to help meet the potable water needs of the majority of people living in the provinces of Tunis, Tunis-Sud, Beja, Jendouba and Nabeu] to the year • 199~, and the extensions of the water distribution networks in Greater Tunis and four other northern cities. SONEDE wil 1 carry out the project. t-bst of Tunisia is arid or semi-arid. Within its water resource development plans, Tunisia's Fifth Development Plar (1977-81) gives first priority to improving and ex- panding water supply services to the country's major urban areas. Nearly 37 percent of Tunisia's total population of 5.6 million, and 45 percent of its urban population, Live in the project area. The project will serve about one mi 11 ion urban and 200,000 rural inhabitants. Consulting services will be provided to assist SONEDE in project execution as well as to adapt SONEDE's management structures to the needs of future expansion. The Bank loan is for 17 years including 3-1/2 years grace with an interest rate of 8. 2 percent . . Additional financing for the project is expected to be provided by a Joan of • about $24 million from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development. The P..iqgs National Bank of Washington, D.C. and the Chemic~l Bank, New York are participating in the loan. NOTE: Mon.ey figures are expressed in U.S. dol Jar equivalents. FORM N0.1121 (5-76) T E C HN I CAL DA~ PROJECT: COUNTRY: TOTAL COST: Fourth Water Supply Republic of Tunisia $102. 9 mi l lion • BANK FINANCING: $21 mi 11 ion OTHER FINANCING: The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development is expected to provide about $24 million. The Republic of Tunisia and SON ED E 1t1 i 1 l p ro v i de the b a l an ce . IMPLEMEN71NG ORGANIZATION: Societe Nationale d'Exploitation et de Distribution des Eaux (SONEDE), 23 Rue J. Nehru, Tunis, Tunisia. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Construction of facilities to help meet the potable water needs of the provinces of Tunis, Tunis-Sud, Beja, Jendouba, and Nabeul to the year 1990; production facilities including the S~ida dam-reservoir, two pumping stations, transmission pipelines and a water treatment plant; extension of the water d-istribution systems, including upgrading of the primary and secondary distributio. networks in Greater Tunis, Medjez-el-Bab, Pont du Fahs, Beja and South Nabeul. PROCU.REMENT: International competetive bidding in accordance with Bank guide 1 i nes for contracts, of goods exceeding $150,000 and for civil works exceeding $450,000 and competetive bidding advertised locally for contracts of goods under $150,000 and for civil works under $450,000 will be fol lowed. CONSULTANTS: 480 man-months of consultants I services (on average $3,750 per man-month) for engineering design and construction supervision and a study of SONEDE's management and computer information systems. ECONOMIC RATE OF RETURN: • ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1982 - 0 -