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Korea Eximbank to loan USD 79 mn
For water supply projects in Sri Lanka

agreement with the Ministry of Finance and Planning of Sri LankaThe Export-Import Bank of Korea signed a total 79 million dollars worth Economic Development and Cooperation Fund (EDCF) loan agreement with the Ministry of Finance and Planning of Sri Lanka to decrease the incidence of water borne diseases.The fund will be allocated to set up water supply systems in Deduru Oya and Ruwanwella."The two projects aim to provide safe drinking water to residents in the project areas through a piped water supply system, thereby decreasing the incidence of water borne diseases, improving the living conditions, and promoting economic prosperity. EDCF will support the construction of water-intake facilities, purification plants, storage reservoirs, transmission lines and distribution networks." The Embassy of the Republic of Korea said in a statement.About 80 percent of the Sri Lankans have access to safe drinking water, although people from Kurunegala and Kegalle districts are still suffering from poor water and sanitation systems.Kurunegala District has the least piped water coverage, only about 8.3 percent, which is far below the national average coverage at 43.5 percent.Unsafe drinking water is assumed to be one of the main causes of chronic kidney diseases prevailing in the area, The Embassy of the Republic of Korea said in a statement.In Kegalle, the main sources of drinking water are dug wells, and hence people happen to suffer from water shortage during the dry period. The existing water supply systems meet only about 22% of drinking water demand in Ruwanwella.Given the circumstances, Deduru Oya and Ruwanwella water supply projects have been assigned high priority by the Sri Lankan Government.