Azerbaijan, Baku, 11 April / Trend A.Akhundov /
Azersu JSC (Azerbaijan's water operator) has completed a quarter of the work carried out under projects of the Investment Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government. This was reported to Trend by the company on Thursday.
The total cost of the investment programme is $600 million. A multi-tranche package was approved for its funding in September 2009. The first MFF loan worth $75 million was allocated for the reconstruction of the water supply and sanitation services in Goychay and Nakhchivan, and the second tranche was $300 million, for the completion of the reconstruction of networks in the cities of Agdash, Beylagan, Goychay and Nakhchivan.
The bank plans to approve the third tranche at $100 million.
In addition, some 29 per cent of the work has been completed to date within the first water project of the World Bank (WB) on 'National water supply and sewerage services', which includes the complete restoration of the water supply and sanitation systems in the Shamakhi, Gabala, Saatli and Sabirabad regions.
The World Bank allocated $230 million for the first water project of the total cost of $310 million. The government gave $80 million towards funding the project. Initially, the project involved 22 districts, but as a result of the restructuring, their number was reduced to four.
According to Azersu, the works will be completed in 2013 in the cities of Shabran, Siyazan, Imailly and Aghsu under the WB's second water project. After the restructuring, the project covers the full rehabilitation of the water supply and sanitation systems in the Siyazan, Shabran, Agsu, Ismayilli, Masalli, Lerik, Yardimli and Jalilabad regions.
The World Bank allocated $230 million from the IBRD's funds and $30 million from the IDA's funds for implementation of this water project at an overall cost of $410 million. The government's share in the project is $150 million. In addition, the parties are discussing the possibility of raising additional funding from the World Bank in the framework of this project.
The bank has received the corresponding request from the government.