ADB Supports Water System Development in Rural Georgia
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently approved a USD233.2 million loan to help extend access to reliable and safe water supply services for rural areas in Georgia.
The results-based loan (RBL) — Georgia: Clean, Local, Equitable Access to Reliable Water Program (CLEAR) aims to provide sustainable, resilient, and inclusive access to water supply services to people living in rural areas of Georgia. At least 100 rural settlements across Georgia will benefit from the expansion and rehabilitation of water supply-related infrastructure, ensuring a continuous and reliable supply of safe drinking water.
The new programme builds on ADB’s decade-long assistance to Georgia’s water sector, which has already provided 24-hour water supply to 13 cities across the country. The extended support will improve living conditions and economic opportunities in rural areas of Georgia, which traditionally suffer from underinvestment in obsolete water systems dating back to Soviet era.
Lesley Bearman Lahm, ADB Country Director for Georgia
The CLEAR programme supports the government’s development strategy, “Georgia’s Vision 2030”, and its efforts to bridge the urban–rural gap in water supply services. It will also help address the sanitation agenda by developing the national strategy under the updated Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) vision beyond 2030 for subsequent approval and implementation.
Apart from the construction and rehabilitation of climate and disaster-resilient water supply infrastructure, water sector governance will also be enhanced by improving the capacity of the executing and implementing agencies in planning and executing sustainable water supply projects. It will introduce operation and maintenance regulations to ensure sustainable and efficient operations, using modern digital tools.
The programme improves climate resilience by diversifying water sources through more climate-adaptive and efficient distribution networks. It will stimulate economic growth and improve living standards by easing the household burden on women, who are traditionally responsible for water use in households and spend time collecting, storing, and treating water.
The RBL modality has been pioneered by ADB in Georgia as the most suitable for the rural water project, considering the small, varied nature of upcoming infrastructure works at widely dispersed locations. The project, built on sustaining gains made from earlier development assistance in the water sector, will fill critical investment gaps, bolster government systems and implementation capacity, and support the government’s long-term plans and clear targets for WSS service.
ADB has supported Georgia since 2007 and is one of the country’s largest multilateral development partners. ADB’s loans, grants, and technical assistance to Georgia total USD5 billion. ADB’s five-year country partnership strategy with Georgia aims to help the nation develop into a green and inclusive regional gateway, while supporting sovereign and private sector investments, policy reforms, capacity building, climate-resilient infrastructure, and regional integration.
About Asian Development Bank (ADB)
ADB is one of the leading multilateral development banks supporting inclusive, resilient and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—50 from the region.