A US$210 million World Bank project will improve the quality of
drinking water supply and wastewater services to 5 million residents in
Baghdad who suffer from water shortages and the outbreak of waterborne
diseases due to inadequate infrastructure, rapid population growth, and
the inflow of internally displaced people, reports NaijaAgroNet.
The Baghdad Water Supply and Sewerage Improvement Project,
approved today by the World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors
will support the Mayoralty of Baghdad and the Baghdad Water and Sewerage
Authorities through improvement in utility management, and generate
employment during the construction, operation and maintenance stages of
implementation. The project will also help reduce the incidence of
water-borne diseases and improve the quality of life, health, and
sanitation.
“The recently completed National Water and Land
Strategy (2015-2035) indicates that Baghdad will need substantial
investments in its water supply and wastewater treatment systems over
the next 20 years. Given limited availability of public funding,
attracting commercial finance will be critical for implementing this
ambitious strategy”, said Saroj Kumar Jha, World Bank Mashreq Regional Director. “In
close coordination with the International Finance Corporation, this
project will focus on creating a more favorable business environment,
and on supporting the preparation of feasibility studies and
transactions to enable private sector participation in the water sector.”
The
residents of Baghdad deal with daily water service interruptions,
especially during the hot summer months. Baghdad is one of the
governorates impacted by outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Leakage from
sewer pipes contaminates potable water networks and groundwater
aquifers, which aggravates health and environmental problems.
Contaminated water supply and improper disposal of sewage force families
to spend a significant fraction of their income on medical treatment
and to purchase bottled water.
“Water supply and sanitation have immediate and major impacts on the quality of life of citizens”, said Thikra Alwash, Mayor of Baghdad. “We
are committed to improving public services for the residents of Baghdad
and to alleviating the burden households face on a daily basis in
getting clean and reliable water supply. We are confident that improved
access to these services can significantly strengthen people's trust and
confidence in the state and contribute to building social cohesion when
it is most needed”.
“Major cities like Baghdad face a growing population but have inadequate water infrastructure and service delivery capacity”, said Abdulhamid Azad, Lead Water Resources Specialist and Project Team Leader.
This project will improve the city’s water and sanitations services as
well as support the Baghdad Water and Sewerage Authorities in improving
their institutional knowledge and preparedness in relation to water
security and urban water management.
"Also, the project will finance
capacity-building activities targeted to female technical and managerial
staff to increase their professional skills and allow for career
advancement within the Water and Sewerage Authorities.”
The
project will finance the construction of a service reservoir with a
total capacity of 135,000 cubic meters, which will help the city manage
its water supply better in case of climate-induced droughts. The project
will also rehabilitate existing sewerage pumping stations thus reducing
the public health effects of untreated wastewater discharged into the
Tigris. The project will contribute to the reduction of physical losses
by replacing about 130 km of water supply distribution network and the
creation of district metering areas.
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