The Inter-American Development (IDB) will loan US$ 24.5 million to the Brazilian state of Amazonas for a pilot project to improve water, sanitation, waste management and urban environmental infrastructure.
Project activities include: increasing potable water supply; increasing sanitation service coverage; and reducing water losses.
The project in Maués, an interior municipality, is expected to serve as a model for future efforts.
22 November 2012: The Inter-American Development (IDB) will provide US$24.5 million to the Brazilian state of Amazonas for improvements in drinking water, sanitation and the urban environment in the Maués municipality. The Maués Integrated Sanitation Program (Prosaimaués) is intended as a pilot for initiatives to improve municipal water, sanitation and waste management infrastructure in the Amazonas interior.
Through the 25-year Prosaimaués loan, the IDB aims to increase: potable water supply continuity to 24 hours a day; sanitation services from 6% to 100% of households; reduce water losses from 40% to 30%; and increase solid waste in municipal landfills from zero to 25 tons per day.
The loan includes three components. First, it will finance the cleanup and restoration of three urban lagoons, upgrade water supply services and expand and improve sanitary sewage services. It will also facilitate urban environment improvements, including the creation of green areas, bicycle lanes and multi-use public areas for fairs and expositions. Second, the loan seeks to strengthen municipal capacity to manage water and sanitation services and solid waste collection and treatment. The municipality will also launch public awareness campaigns on environmental issues and waterborne diseases. Third, the loan will finance drinking water and sanitation services for the municipality’s 13 indigenous communities, through deep wells and water distribution networks and sanitary sewer systems developed in cooperation with the indigenous communities.
The IDB’s Multilateral Investment Fund will provide support for activities to stimulate the local economy and to develop a sustainable tourism plan. The Amazonas state government will provide US$ 10.5 million to support the project. [IDB Press Release]