JICA supports Luang Prabang water upgrade construction 

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is supporting the construction of Luang Prabang city’s expanded water supply from 2019-2022 through a grant agreement of US$18.4 million.
Nihon Suido Consultants Co., Ltd will prepare the bidding documents, select the winning bid and supervise the project construction. 
Director of Water Supply Division, Department of Water Supply, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Mr Khanthone Vorachith said Nihon Suido Consultants Co., Ltd would look for a Japanese company to begin construction next April with work completed in 2022.
The project aims to improve Luang Prabang city’s water supply system through rehabilitation of the water treatment plant and restoration and expansion of distribution pipelines in supporting a sustainable urban environment for the world heritage site.
Currently, JICA is providing more than 8 billion kip (97 million Japanese yen) for the detailed design of Luang Prabang city’s expanded water supply from September 2019 to January 2020.
Under the consulting service agreement, Nihon Suido Consultants Co., Ltd. will redesign the city’s water supply system.
The Department of Water Supply at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Luang Prabang provincial Public Works and Transport Department, and Consultant of Nihon Suido Consultants Co., Ltd., inked the agreement in Vientiane last week.
Luang Prabang’s water supply system is ageing and unable to cope with the growing needs of residents and visitors. The existing pipes will be replaced with newer ones, thereby expanding the water system’s capacity to deal with demand.
According to Nihon Suido Consultants Co., Ltd, the detailed design would consist of an intake pump (capacity: 13,200 cubic metres per day), six large pumps including a standby, as well as three smaller pumps with one also on standby.
The water treatment facility will include a reinforced concrete mixing tank (12,000 cubic metres per day capacity) along with flocculation and sedimentation basins capable of handling 6,000 cubic metres per day.
Additional components include a wastewater and sludge basin, a 450 cubic metre sludge drying bed and other facilities.
JICA and the Ministry of Planning and Investment held a grant signing ceremony for the Luang Prabang water supply project on May 28 in Vientiane.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
(Latest Update September 19, 2019)