The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $50.3 million financing package, including a $2 million technical assistance from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and Pacific, to support clean, reliable, affordable, and climate-resilient water supply and sanitation services across the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR).
Read also – ADB, Cook Islands Enhance the Resilience of Rarotonga Airport Operations
“Access to safe, piped water supply across the country remains an issue, affecting health and livelihoods,” said ADB Country Director for the Lao PDR Shanny Campbell. “Supporting the Government of Lao PDR’s development targets, the project will increase equitable access of its people to safe and reliable water supply and sanitation services, benefiting 13,000 households—an estimated 70,000 people—including about 800 vulnerable households.”
Read also – ADB to Build Resilience and Reduce Poverty in Lao PDR
Despite improvements in water and sanitation access, the Lao PDR still faces inadequate infrastructure, poor public sanitation facilities, and a lack of regulations. This hinders its 2030 target to provide safely managed water supply to 90% of its provincial and district municipality population. The quality of water supply services remains poor, with outdated systems and high leakage rates. Population growth at 1.5% annually and urban expansion at 3.2% annually have outpaced investment in infrastructure and public services.
The agreement for the Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Sector Project was signed by the Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of the Lao PDR and ADB on 12 December 2024. It also includes capacity building for central and provincial water utilities.
The project aims to strengthen the regulatory environment with a climate-resilient, gender-responsive framework for better asset planning and maintenance; improve access to quality water supply and sanitation services, including constructing and rehabilitating water supply systems and providing pour-flush latrines to vulnerable households, with a focus on women-headed households and inclusive toilets in public places and schools; and develop the institutional capacity of the Department of Water Supply and provincial water utilities for sustainable service delivery. The target provinces are Bokeo, Houaphan, Salavan, Xaisomboun, and Xiengkhouang.
About ADB
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. It assists its members and partners by providing loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments to promote social and economic development. Established in 1966, it is owned by 69 members—49 from the region.
