ADB and Australia to support Kiribati sanitation improvement project

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Australia have allocated a total of $21.5m to help improve sanitation in Kiribati.

Under the agreements signed between ADB and the Government of Kiribati, the South Tarawa sanitation improvement sector project is receiving a loan of $7.6m from the Bank and a $14m in grant co-financing from the Government of Australia.

The project will focus on rehabilitation of saltwater flush systems and will help support better hygiene and sanitation practices at the household level.

ADB president Haruhiko Kuroda said the Bank’s assistance will help Kiribati to meet its millennium development goal targets in improving access to sanitation, which will lead to better health outcomes.

"The project will support the country’s efforts to improve the quality and coverage of sanitation services for South Tarawa’s urban residents," Kuroda said.

Australia High Commissioner to Kiribati Brett Aldam said the Australian Government, through AusAID, is pleased to be working in partnership with the ADB and the Government of Kiribati to increase access to safe water and sanitation on South Tarawa.

"It is a partnership that will help to achieve significant public health outcomes for Kiribati," Aldam added.

Upgrades to saltwater flush systems will help to conserve and protect scarce groundwater resources from overuse and pollution.

The project, in addition to restoring sewerage networks, will improve the performance of South Tarawa’s public utility service provider.

Image: The Asian Development Bank has provided a loan of $7.6m to help improve sanitation in Kiribati. Photo: Eugene Alvin Villar, 2007.