Press Release No:2007/340/AFR
WASHINGTON, April 24, 2007 - The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved an International Development Association (IDA) financing of US$100 in support of the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation project in Ethiopia. This IDA financing includes a credit1of US$65 and a grant of US$35 million.
The Urban Water Supply and Sanitation project (UWSS) aims to increase access to sustainable water supply and sanitation services in Addis Ababa and four secondary cities. It will help produce more water for all customers and extend the distribution network to areas that currently lack water service.
According to Yitbarek Tessema, the World Bank Task Team Leader for the project, "up to 4 million urban residents in Addis and four other cities will have increased access to potable water, and households in low-income areas will have improved sanitation facilities."
In Addis Ababa water production is 50 liters per capita per day (lpcd), of which only 35 lpcd reach consumers due to water losses. In secondary cities, only 20 of the 30 lpcd produced reach consumers. The UWSS will increase water availability by developing new sources of safe water, expanding treatment facilities, and extending network and service connections. It will improve efficiency as well as financial and customer management, support catchments protection measures, and instill awareness of water conservation among customers.
The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets for Ethiopia call for providing 63% of the population access to safe water supply and 58% access to improved sanitation by 2015. According to the 2005 MDG Needs Assessment Report (NAR) of the Government of Ethiopia, access to safe water was 31% as of 2000 and access to improved sanitation was 11.5 % in 2002/03.2 The project will increase access to improved sanitation facilities, mainly for low- income, urban residents. In doing so, it will improve drainage to avoid un-controlled sewage water discharges to streets and paths resulting from cooking, cleaning and bathing.
Contacts
In Washington: Tim Carrington (202) 473 8133 tcarrington@worldbank.org;
In Addis Ababa: Yitbarek Tessema (252-1) 17 60 00 ytessema@worldbank.org