The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide US$160 million in loans to establish a modern and sustainable sewerage system in Khulna metropolitan city.
To this effect, a loan agreement was signed between the Economic Relations Division (ERD) and the ADB in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Fatima Yasmin, Secretary, ERD, and Manmohan Parkash, Country Director, ADB, signed the agreement virtually.
Md. Abdullah, Managing Director, Khulna Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (KWASA), signed the project agreement.
Under the Khulna Sewerage System Development Project, the KWASA will develop a centralised sewerage system that will benefit 880,000 residents in the city.
The project features a 269 km sewer network, eight pumping stations, two sewage treatment plants and about 27,000 property-level sewer connections.
A faecal sludge treatment plant will also be part of the project to provide inclusive sanitation services to areas where sewer connections are not feasible.
This project builds on an earlier ADB-funded project, which improved Khulna's water supply for 875,000 beneficiaries by switching the water source from groundwater to surface water.
"This project will support the government's efforts to contain outbreaks of diseases, including Covid-19, in future by establishing a climate-resilient and environment-friendly sewerage system for safe sanitation and hygiene," ADB Country Director Manmohan Parkash said.
"Latest technologies including supervisory control and data acquisitions, and online data systems for automatic data logging, as well as energy efficient pumps and equipment and corrosion-resistant pipes with a low carbon footprint will be used to deliver a state-of-the-art sewerage system," he added.
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