Ministry inks agreement on third phase of water project

The Department of Water Supply of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the East Meets West Foundation in Laos on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding to implement the third phase of the Engaging Public, Private and Women in Water Sanitation and Hygiene Project.
The third phase of the project, which is being funded with US$1.4 million by Charity: Water, will see the installation of water supply systems through contributions from the state, private players and local communities.
The third phase of the project will run from the date of the signing of the MOU until December 31, 2023.

The goal is to produce 7,500 cubic metres of water a day, which is expected to benefit 37,379 people from 6,712 households in 36 villages.
The project aims to support government strategy by ensuring that large groups of villages and small districts can access water and sustainable hygiene, promoting the role of women and men, enabling disabled people to access water equally, and taking good lessons and replicating them in other locations.
This project works with contributions from the state, the private sector and local communities at five locations in Xaythany and Pakngum districts in Vientiane, Xienghon district in Xayaboury province, Chomphet district in Luang Prabang province, and Long district in Luang Namtha province.
The MOU was signed by the Director General of the Department of Water Supply, Mr Sompong Sitthivong, and the Country Director of the East Meets West Foundation, Mr Khouankeo Ardphasouk, at a ceremony held at the Lao Plaza Hotel.
The signing was witnessed by the Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mrs Vilaykham Phosalath, and representatives of various groups from Vientiane and the provinces.
The project is in line with the government’s 9th National Socio-economic Development Plan for 2021-2025 which aims to create conditions that are conductive to attracting investment by the private sector to support Laos’ socio-economic development.
In 2021, there were 174 water supply plants with a total installed capacity of 681,322 cubic metres per day.
They are located at 111 sites in 1,480 villages of 117 districts. More than 1.8 million people benefit from water supply, representing 77.4 percent of residents in urban areas or about 26.35 percent of the total population.
Sustainable Development Goal No. 6 states that 90 percent of residents in a provincial capital and main district town should be able to access water that is safely administered, widely distributed, reliable and reasonably priced by the year 2030.

ByTimes Reporters
(Latest Update January 12, 2021)