The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved financing for the Moldova Water Security and Sanitation Project in the amount of €44.1 million, IPN reports. The project that is co-financed by the Austrian Development Agency includes critical investments in water and sanitation in towns and rural areas in order to increase access to safely managed services.

Around 66,500 people are expected to directly benefit from the project by gaining access to safely managed drinking water and sanitation services, many of whom will gain access to a centralized network for the first time. In addition, students, and staff of around 100 schools (around 25,000 people) as well as staff and patients of 25 rural healthcare facilities will benefit from improved WASH facilities.

The project also includes an on-site sanitation pilot to support households gain access to improved sanitation using low-cost technologies.

Since Moldova joined the World Bank in 1992, over $1.3 billion has been allocated to more than 60 operations in the country. Currently, the World Bank portfolio includes 11 active projects with a total commitment of $591.2 million.