$240 million approved by World Bank to improve water and sewerage services in Karachi
The World Bank has approved $240
million in financing for the Second Karachi Water and Sewerage Services
Improvement Project (KWSSIP-2), aimed at enhancing access to safely managed
water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in Karachi.
The project, co-financed by the
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with an equal contribution of $240
million, also includes a government contribution of $250 million and expected
private sector and commercial funding of $269 million.
Najy Benhassine, World Bank Country
Director for Pakistan, emphasized that “Safely managed WASH services are
critical for public health and quality of life and play a key role in
addressing the stunting crisis in Pakistan.”
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The project will expand investments
in water augmentation, water treatment, wastewater treatment and reuse, water
distribution, and sewer network rehabilitation. It is expected to benefit a
diverse demographic, with around half of the beneficiaries being women, 58%
under the age of 24, and over half a million people living in Katchi Abadis
(informal settlements).
Building on the successes of
KWSSIP-1, this initiative will strengthen Karachi’s water supply, sewerage,
sanitation, and treatment infrastructure, while also improving water and
wastewater systems in informal settlements. The project is projected to provide
safe drinking water to 16 million people and sanitation services to 7.5 million
by 2030.
In the long-term, KWSSIP-2 aims to
reduce the costs of using alternative water sources, decrease the time spent
collecting water, and improve health outcomes by reducing waterborne diseases.
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The initiative also plans to address
gender imbalances by promoting women’s employment in technical and leadership
roles within the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC). This includes
providing technical training, internships, and opportunities for women to
advance within the organization.
KWSSIP-2 is part of the broader
Pakistan Urban WASH Services Program, which aims to provide safely managed WASH
services to 33.5 million people by 2035.
Source: Business Recorder