Suriname will improve the efficiency and sustainability of its portable water services thanks to a loan of US$25 million approved by the Board of Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
The project financed will be executed by the Suriname Water Company (SWM) and will benefit up to 3,700 households, which will connect to the potable water network for the first time. The project will improve the quality of the water service for more than 33,000 households, including new and existing customers.
SWM will upgrade its environmental and financial sustainability, which includes reducing its levels of non-revenue water, investments in infrastructure and modernization of operations and management.
The project will take six years to be completed and will have three main components. The first component will focus on reducing the levels on non-revenue water by adopting smart water technologies that will replace outdated meters to reduce losses throughout the network in the Central Region.
The second component will focus on upgrading the water production infrastructure by increasing the capacity of the Helena Christina pump station. This will expand the water treatment capacity to meet projected demands. The works will include drilling four new wells and rehabilitating two currently in operation, and the installation of 21 kilometers of transmission and distribution pipelines.
The third component includes a program of institutional strengthening and modernization of SWM’s operations and management.
The loan will be disbursed in a period of six years, with an amortization period of 24 years and an interest rate based in LIBOR.
