Sanitation systems to be improved by rehabilitating at least 580 km of sewers in 8 towns
Three new water treatment plants will be established under the US$200 million extended funding by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the ongoing Rajasthan Secondary Towns Development Sector Project to expand water supply and sanitation systems and enhance urban resilience and heritage living in selected towns
“The project will incorporate various innovative and climate-resilient solutions for expanding basic urban services and incorporate nature-based solutions to rehabilitate heritage structures besides piloting public-private partnerships in the state’s water and sanitation sector to deepen private sector engagement,” said Takeo Konishi, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission, who signed the loan for ADB with the Indian Government on 28 July 2023.
The additional financing will support the Rajasthan Government in its commitment to reduce basic infrastructure gaps in its secondary towns by expanding water supply and sanitation services and improving livability in selected urban local bodies, elaborated Vumlunmang Vualnam, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, who signed the ADB loan on behalf of the Indian Government.
The ongoing project, approved in September 2020, has so far laid 1,451-km of water supply pipes, 1,110-km of sewer pipes, and connected 68,098 households to water services in selected secondary towns in Rajasthan.
The additional financing will improve water supply systems in at least seven towns by converting all groundwater sources to surface water, replacing about 700-km of leaking water pipes, installing 1,400-km of new water supply pipelines, and providing 77,000 households connections with water meters.
At least eight towns will be covered for improvement to sanitation systems by rehabilitating at least 580 km of sewers, building seven sewage treatment plants with co-treatment units to process fecal sludge and septage, and connecting at least 54,000 households to the sewage system.
A new feature in ADB’s support is the water facility development for urban resilience improvement and heritage-sensitive urban development in at least eight heritage towns or towns with strong tourism potential. This includes the reconstruction of water structures with heritage value, incorporating nature-based solutions to improve climate resilience. It will also rehabilitate at least 20 heritage or heritage-like structures to improve the living environment and attract more tourists.
In addition, it will create a special purpose vehicle through a public–private partnership to address water security issues in Rajasthan’s manufacturing industry and to encourage private sector investments and financing. This will establish designated pipe networks to carry treated wastewater from the sewage treatment plants to industrial facilities. Fiinews.com
