Announcement of Afghanistan Receives Sixteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars for Water and Sewerage Project on July 10, 1978

FOR IMMEDl~TE RE~EASE •world Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 2.0433, U.S.A. • Telephone: (202) 393-6360 IDA NEWS RELEAS~ NO. 79/2 July 10, 1978 AFGHANISTAN RECEIVES $16.5 MILLION FOR WATER AND SEWERAGE PROJECT A $16.5 million credit from the lnteinational Development Association (IDA), an affiliate of the World Bank, will provide an in- creased water supply and the beginning of a sewerage system for Kabul, Afghanistan's capital and largest city. Polluted drinking water, a major cause of illness and death in Afghanistan, presents a critical problem in Kabul. Since Kabul has virtually no public sewerage system, individual systems discharge their effluents into the water-bearing strata of the sub-soil. This con- taminates many shallow wells, from which much of Kabul's private water supply is drawn. Moreover, disinfection procedures in the public piped • drinking systems are inade.quate, and sometimes inoperative • A $22.5 million water supply and sewerage project,. supported by IDA, will supply 70% of Kabul •s urban population -- some 630,000 people with clean drinking water. The project includes a sewage collection and disposal facility for Kabul; a 15,000 cubic meter water reservoir to- gether with a booster pumping station; the equipping of iO wells being drilled under an ongoing water supply and sanitation project. the In- stallation of standpipes, hydrants and about 84 kilomet~rs of water mains and about 14,400 water meters. The project will alleviate insanitary 1 iving conditions and reduce waterborne diseases which contribute significantly to Afghanistan's mortality rate -- among the highest in the world. The project wi 11 also result In economlc benefits for the urban poor, in that many will be able to substitute water from standpipes for expensive water purchased from water carriers. The IDA credit is for a term of 50 years, including 20 years of grace. There is no interest, except for a service charge of 3/4 of 1% to cover administrative costs. Co-financing is being provided by the Canadian International Development Agency in the amount of $1.6 million • • NOTE: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dol~&r equivalents. FORM NO. 1121 (5-76) T ECHNI CAL DAT A PROJECT: COUNTRY: Kabul Water Supply and Sewerage Democratic Republic of Afghanistan • TOTAL £OST: $22.5 million IDA FI NANC ING : $16,5 million, standard IDA terms OTHER FINANCING: Government of Afghanistan, $4.4 million; the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), $1.6 million. IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: The Central Authority for Water and Sewerage (CAWS) Mikro-royan, Block 13, Kabulr. Afghanistan PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project will provide: (a) a sewage collection and dis- posal facility for Kabu,; (b) a water supply sy.stem to serve, by standpipes and private connections, the areas of Karte Parwan, Shari Nau, Qualifattulah, Demazang, Koti Sangi (South), Karte Char, Karte Seh, and Khoshal Khan; (c) the equipping. of 10 wells being drilled under the ongoing Water Supply and Sanitation Project; (d) the installation of about 84 kilometers of water mains; (e) a 15,000 cubic meter reservoir together with a booster pumping station; and (f) 14,400 wate~ meters. PROCUREMENT: All major contracts will be procured through international competitive bidding in accordance with World Bank and IDA guidelines. CONSULTANTS: Technical assistance is being provided by CIDA. ECONOMIC RATE OF RETURN: n.a. ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1983 • - 0 -