AFD to Fund Palestinian Water Projects

The French Development Agency (AFD) is to extend a €10m ($13m) grant to Palestine to improve drinking water services in Bethlehem.

The project will upgrade the drinking water distribution network to improve the quality of water services, benefiting around 100,000 people.

The first phase of the project includes the extension and rehabilitation of 25km of transmission pipelines and the construction of three reservoirs with capacities of between 1,000m³ and 2,500m³.

It also includes the construction of two pumping stations, replacing 3,000 water meters and the rehabilitation of two wastewater pumping stations.

The projects are expected to be completed by 2017.