Announcement of Zambia to Expand Water Supply Services with Sixteen Million US Dollars Credit from IDA on May 16, 1983

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE •World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W ., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Telephone: (202) 477-1234 IDA NEWS RELEASt•: NO. 83/78 Cont~ct: Pushpa Schwartz May 16, 1983 ( 202) 477-3294 ZAMBIA TO EXPAND WATER SUPPLY SERVICES WITH A $16 MILLION CREDIT FROM IDA Nearly 140·,000 people will benefit from a $21.6 million project aimed at expanding water supply services in six districts in northern Zamhia, the International Development A:3sociation (IDA) announced today. tDA, the World Bank's affiliate for concessionary lending, is providing a credit of SDR 14.8 million ($16 million) for the project. The pcoject: will improve and expand water supply facilities in the districts of Isoka, T{aputa, Kawambwa, Mbala, Ndola Rural, and Samfya. It will install piped water systems in four administrative centers in Isoka, Mpulungu, l{awambwa, and Sarnfya, and construct 400 wells and 42 boreholes in selected villages in the six districts • • In addition, the project will provide and upgrade two provincial and si.x district workshops and supply them with tools, equipment, and vehicles. Technical assistance will also be provided in project coordination, cost and management accounting, and maiatenance engineering. Overseas scholarships for training of professional staff of the Department of Water Affairs are included. Zambia has received 34 loans and credits from the World Bank, totalling nearly $620 million. World 'Rank-supported projects are in sectors such as energy, agriculture, education, transportation, communtcatlon, and mining. The 1DA credit is for 50 years, including 10 years of grace; it carries no interest but has a small annual service charge (0.5% on the undisbursed balances of the credit and 0.75% on the disbursed balances). NOTE: IDA credits are denominated in SDRs (Special Drawing Rights), w~1tch are valued on the basis of a "basket" of currencies. The U.S. dollar equivalent of the SDR amount of the IDA credit ref lee ts the exchange rates existing at the time of the negotia- tion of the credit • • - O' -