World Bank to provide $300 million for rural water, sanitation project in Sindh

The World Bank is set to provide $300 million to support a Sindh government project aimed at improving access to safe water supply, sanitation and hygiene services in rural areas of the province.

The project, titled Sindh Transformational Accelerated Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Services, is expected to receive approval in September, according to World Bank documents.

The first phase is designed to benefit around 2.5 million people across service clusters in 16 out of 23 rural districts, focusing on areas with the highest concentration of underserved populations.

Funding for the initiative will include a $200 million concessional loan from the International Development Association and $100 million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The Asian Development Bank is also expected to contribute $100 million, bringing total project financing to $550 million.

The programme aims to develop integrated water and sanitation infrastructure supported by managed WASH services to improve service delivery in rural communities.

According to available data, about 90% of rural households in Sindh consume water contaminated with E. coli, highlighting gaps in sanitation systems and hygiene practices even where water sources are considered safe.