The Asian Development Bank’s Board of Directors has approved a US$45 million loan to provide clean water and hygienic toilets to 350,000 people in six central coast provinces of Vietnam.

The loan, approved on December 18, will help Vietnam implement the Central Region Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project.  

It will be used to fund the construction of piped water supply systems, build or rehabilitate hygienic toilets at home, schools, and health centres, and raise hygiene awareness among the public. The project will be carried out in poor rural areas in Binh Dinh, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Quang Binh, Quang Nam and Thanh Hoa provinces.

“Better access to clean water and hygienic sanitation will improve public health, reduce poverty by cutting medical expenses and lost work days, and reduce the burden on women who are typically tasked to collect water and care for sick family members,” says Paul van Klaveren, Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist in ADB’s Southeast Asia Department.

Vietnam aims to provide clean water to 85 percent of its population in 2010.

(Source: VOV)