Project Components

Component 2 - Priority Sanitation Investments (US$ 32 million equivalent, of which US$ 30.65 million is IDA financing and US$ 1.35 counterpart financing)

This component involves several interventions to increase access to safely managed sanitation and reduce environmental pollution that has public health impacts. Key investments include:-

i. The rehabilitation and upgrade of 50km of sewer network and connections and treatment works in the Blantyre and Soche sewerage catchments, including interceptors to collect leaking sewers into river streams and reduce environmental pollution and methane capture to reduce emissions from the Waste Water Treatment Plan (WWTP)
ii. technical assistance, equipment and tools to improve solid waste sorting and collection at the source with business development support and integration of private sector and waste pickers, and the construction of a new solid waste recycling plant and landfill in Chigumula with the aim of maximizing waste re-use and minimize emissions from uncontrolled solid waste dumping
iii. construction and upgrade of public sanitation facilities for ten schools, five health centers, and five markets to reduce the incidences of open defecation. Public toilet facilities will be enhanced with accessibility features for persons with disabilities and Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) facilities and training to increase girls' retention in schools and support female entrepreneurs in markets. Public toilets in markets will be managed through public-private-partnership contracts with local entrepreneurs to enhance the operations and maintenance (O&M) and support job creation. The project will also finance TA for engineering designs and supervision of sanitation investments, sanitation tariff assessment, and preparation and implementation support for safeguards instruments.

Other Project Components

Component 1 - Water Supply Improvement
Component 3 - Institutional Capacity Strengthening
Component 4 - Technical Assistance and Project Management Support
Component 5 - Contingency Emergency Response