ADB Greenlights $180 Million to Enhance Water and Waste Management in Punjab

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has given the nod to a $180-million loan aimed at upgrading water supply and solid waste management services in Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur cities in Punjab. The initiative, dubbed the 'Developing Resilient Environments and Advancing Municipal Services in Punjab Project,' is poised to positively impact 1.5 million residents by mitigating excessive groundwater extraction and ameliorating urban environmental conditions.

ADB Director General for Central and West Asia, Yevgeniy Zhukov, expressed, "This project will help make municipal services in these two cities more sustainable, resilient, and less carbon-intensive." The strategic plan involves expanding and modernizing urban water supply in Rawalpindi and enhancing solid waste management systems in Bahawalpur.

In Rawalpindi, the project includes the construction of new surface water intakes and a water treatment plant boasting a daily capacity of 54 million liters. Transmission and distribution pipes will be laid to provide metered connections to 82,000 households. Additionally, water pumps and transmission mains will be upgraded, and three pilot district metering areas will be established to enhance operational efficiency.

Bahawalpur, on the other hand, will witness improvements in solid waste collection through the procurement of waste collection equipment and a new fleet. The project aims to expand service coverage, supported by a new fleet management information system. It also includes the construction of a recycling facility and a floodproof landfill, coupled with the rehabilitation of existing dump sites. The financing will also facilitate the provision of personal protective equipment for informal sector workers.

ADB Urban Development Specialist Xijie Lu highlighted the broader goals, stating, "Aside from improving infrastructure services, ADB’s project will help enhance the operational efficiency, inclusivity, and financial sustainability of Rawalpindi Water and Sanitation Agency and Bahawalpur Waste Management Company."

The ADB will not only extend the loan but also administer a $1 million technical assistance package from the Republic of Korea e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund. This will enhance the capacity of the Rawalpindi Water and Sanitation Agency to address leakages in the city's water supply network.

In a broader context, this move aligns with ADB's recent commitment to invest $250 million in improving and expanding the power transmission network in Pakistan's Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, as well as a $2 million technical assistance package approved in October for the 'Preparing the Sindh Coastal Resilience Sector Project.'