The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will lend US$100 million for a
project to clean up the environment of Nanjing City and manage and
protect the city's water resources.
The project, part of a broader water resource initiative being
carried out by the Chinese authorities for the Qinhuai River and
Nanjing City, as well as the Yangtze River Basin, will reduce water
pollution, help prevent flooding, and improve the urban
environment, said the ADB's China office on Thursday.
The project will tackle sewerage and water replenishment,
wastewater treatment, storm water drainage, sludge treatment and
disposal, and institutional development.
"All aspects of the project will contribute significantly toward
improving water quality in the Qinhuai River, which empties into
the Yangtze," said Sangay Penjor, an ADB Principal Financial
Analysis Specialist. "Living conditions and public health standards
for about 2.7 million city residents will improve as a result of
the reduced pollution and flooding."
Rapid economic growth over the last two decades has put pressure
on Nanjing's environment and city infrastructure. The Qinhuai River
that flows through this city of 4.5 million residents has suffered
greatly from wastewater discharge.
ADB said the project will contribute to the city's 2010 target
of treating 85 percent of wastewater.
The project will also create at least 450 full-time permanent
jobs with the operators of the wastewater facilities and 6,000
person years of labor during the five years of construction,
according to the ADB.
The bank said the Nanjing municipal government and China
Development Bank will contribute approximately US$81 million and
US$55 million, respectively, toward the total project cost of
US$236 million.
The Nanjing municipal government is the executing agency for the
project, which is due for completion at the end of 2011.
(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2006)
