EIB provides funding for Seychelles water project

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has allocated €27m in funding to upgrade water infrastructure in the Seychelles.

The money will provide assistance to the island in securing drinking water and in protecting water resources with new sewer facilities, as well as measures to reduce water loss. Under the project, the water network will be rationalised to improve pressure management and reduce leakages.

EIB vice president Plutarchos Sakellaris said EIB funding and technical assistance will ensure the supply of clean water on the Seychelles for years to come. "The European Investment Bank recognises the diverse technical challenges required by small islands to mitigate against a changing climate," Sakellaris said.

The water and sanitation programme will allow the Seychelles Public Utilities Corp to renew and expand water supply on the three main islands to reduce water loss, as well as improve energy efficiency.

As part of the project, the risk of the contamination of groundwater used for drinking will be reduced by enhancing existing sewage facilities on Mahe and building new sanitation infrastructure on La Digue.

The projects will also reduce non-revenue water, including both technical and commercial losses, increasing the capacity of four existing desalination plants on Mahe, La Digue and Praslin, as well as improvements to the Hermitage and Cascade water treatment plants, the bank said.

Around 41% of the overall project costs will be funded by EIB, while support is expected from the government of the Seycelles and the Public Utilities Corp, as well as the European Development Fund, African Water Facility grant, Agence Francaise de Developpement and African Development Bank.