Residents get clean water at Phước Trung Commune, Bác Ái District, southern Ninh Thuận Province. — Photo tinmoitruong.vn

HCM CITY (VNS) —  The World Bank (WB) has confirmed a package of US$239 million from the bank’s International Development Association (IDA) and $46 million from International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) to implement the second phase of the Coastal Cities Environmental Sanitation Project, a WB specialist has said.

The second phase will be implemented from 2016-20 in the cities of Đồng Hới (Quảng Bình Province), Quy Nhơn (Bình Định) and Nha Trang (Khánh Hoà) and Phan Rang-Tháp Chàm (Ninh Thuận).

Lê Duy Hưng, WB’s Senior Urban Specialist, said it was essential to learn from the first phase’s experience about selection of wastewater treatment technologies, compensation and resettlement as well as reciprocal capital from the localities. 

The Ministry of Planning and Investment has submitted a detailed proposal for the project’s second phase implementation to the Government Office for approval, according to Hưng.   

The project provided drainage, wastewater collection and treatment plants as well solid waste management facilities in the cities.

The project conducted a comprehensive capacity building programme in those cities.

Under the first phase of the project, the WB’s IDA provided US$190 million, together with a trust fund from the Japanese government of $4.6 million and a Global Environment Fund (GEF) grant of $5 million.

By the end of 2014, the project helped reduce the incidence and severity of flooding for 255,000 people.

It also provided solid waste collection for an additional 800,000 people, better access to improved sanitation for more than 800,000 citizens, better school sanitation for 66,500 students and a revolving fund for 8,400 poor families to upgrade their toilets and sanitation connections, according to WB. — VNS