'WASHINGTON, December 2, 2008- The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:



IDA Credit: US$149 million

TERMS: Maturity = 40 years; Grace = 10 years

Project Description: The project aims to improve the sustainable delivery of storm water drainage, wastewater and water services by the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) to the population of Dhaka. The project has five components: (a) rehabilitation and strengthening of more...

'Access to drinking water in rural areas remains problematic in Gabon. These areas currently have the lowest levels of access to drinking water compared to urban areas. Data show that 60 percent of the rural population does not have access to high quality water, compared to a coverage rate of 94 percent in city areas.'

'WASHINGTON, November 19, 2008- The following project was approved yesterday by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:



GEF Grant: US$4 Million Dollars



Project Description: The Espirito Santo Biodiversity and Watershed Conservation and Restoration Project for Brazil aims to support the adoption of environmentally friendly land use practices on 3,400 hectares in two key Atlantic forest watersheds in Espírito Santo, thereby contributing to improved biodiversity conservat more...

By Stephen de Tarczynski. IPS News. MELBOURNE, Nov 12 (IPS) - With large parts of southern and eastern Australia enduring an ongoing drought, the regional centre of Orange -- some 260 km west of the nation’s largest city, Sydney -- is developing Australia’s first scheme to harvest stormwater in order to service the town’s requirements. 'It’s designed initially as an emergency response because there was no other alternative source of water for us that we could get access to quickly,' says more...

'President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi on October 28 launched a water and electricity project aimed at improving Burundi’s overall infrastructure.

'Ceremonies launching the World Bank-funded Multi-sectoral Water and Electricity Infrastructure Project took place in Taba, a suburb of Gihosha, located north of Burundi’s capital, Bujumbura.'

Urgent action is needed to remove pollutants from urban wastewater, which is often used in cities to grow food, an international study has warned.

Data collected by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) found that 85% of cities discharged the water without any appropriate treatment.

With many developing nations swiftly urbanising, the authors said people were at increasing risk of disease.

The findings are being presented at an international water summit in Sweden.

Wast more...

Rapid urbanisation in developing nations threatens to trigger a water and sanitation crisis in quickly expanding slums, a report has warned.

Charity WaterAid said chronic water shortages in many of the world's slums were being exacerbated by the arrival of millions of people each week.

Populations in developing nations are set to triple over the next 30 years.

The authors called on the international community to take urgent action to tackle the problem.

'Sanitation and water are inte more...

'The 2,000-strong community of Census of Marine Life scientists from 82 nations has announced astonishing examples of recent new finds from the world’s ocean depths. Mollusk expert Patricia Miloslavich (Venezuela), Census co-senior scientist: 'We are beginning to pull together a picture and clarify the complicated and interconnected global drivers of marine biodiversity patterns and changes, and we are starting to see the conservation-related implications and benefits, from the small coves of more...

'WASHINGTON, November 6, 2008- The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:



GEF Grant: US$5.44 million

Project Description: The Irrigation and Watershed Management Project for Madagascar aims to establish a viable basis for irrigated agriculture and natural resources management in four main irrigation sites and their surrounding watersheds. The project consists of the following components: (1) laying the foundations for improved market a more...

'The World Bank’s Board of Directors today approved a US$20 million credit for additional financing for the Armenia Municipal Water and Wastewater Project (MWWP). The additional financing will support the government’s efforts in scaling up activities implemented under the ongoing program of water system rehabilitation and improvements, including an extension of the ongoing management contract between the Armenia Water and Wastewater Company (AWSC), the water utility in charge of the project, more...