JUBA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The African Development Bank (AfDB) said Tuesday it has approved 24.7 million U.S. dollars to finance a project to improve the country's water supply and sanitation.
AfDB said the strategic water supply and sanitation improvement project will support the rehabilitation of approximately 50km of the Juba town distribution network and related works, including metering and public water collections outlets.
Benedict Kanu, Bank country manager for South Sudan said the project will greatly assist South Sudanese by helping to improve the quality and delivery of urban water supply services in Juba city and strengthening rural water supply and sanitation services.
He added that it will help in combating diseases, reducing health costs, improving quality of life, as well as helping women save time and increase convenience due to closer water supply outlets.
"On completion, the project will directly benefit 300,000 people in Juba and the surrounding rural Jubek state," AfDB said in a statement.
Juba, like many urban centers in the country, suffers from the effects of years of armed conflict and under-investment in the development and maintenance of basic water infrastructure, according to AfDB.
It said increased numbers of displaced people and rapid urbanization have placed considerable strain on existing urban water supply infrastructure and the illegal supply of untreated water drawn from river Nile by private water tanker operators is common in the city and its suburbs.
