New water supply system in Balkh City

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (PAN): Construction of a new water supply system has begun in the ancient Balkh City, a large urban site west of Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) said on Thursday.

In a statement, the cabinet-level ministry said the homes of around 750 families would be connected to the water supply system, the construction work on which was launched on Wednesday at a special ceremony held in the city.

Representatives of Afghan Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Corporation (AUWSSC), BMZ) and KFW Development Bank participated in the celebration.

Under Northern Cities-1 Programme, the BMZ said it was funding water supply systems for Imam Sahib, Faizabad and Balkh City.

The programme is implemented by KFW and the Afghan Ministry of Urban Development Affairs (MUDA). After its completion AUWSSC will operate the water supply system in Balkh City.

The statement said local contractors and workforce would be employed to the construction of the system, which it said would be a reliable supply of safe drinking water.

“Safe water is still wishful thinking for the majority of Afghans and the lack of clean water is a cause of a variety of diseases in Afghanistan,” the statement said.

AUWSSC chief  told Pajhwok Afghan News the project would cost  $6 million and would 18 months to complete.

Saleem said the schemes included tube wells and water reservoirs and lying a 3.5 km pipe in the Balkh district.

pr/myn/ma

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