The World Bank has approved a $40m loan for a new integrated water management project in Peru.
The funding will be used for a project called integrated management of water resources in 10 basins of Peru, which is expected to benefit around 3.8 million people in the country.
The project is a continuation of an earlier intervention supported by the bank to enhance National Water Authority (ANA) capacities for water security in the country.
Earlier, the bank’s funding was used to strengthen six water basin boards in Tumbes, Chira-Piura, Chancay-Lambayeque, Chancay-Huaral, Quilca-Chili, and Caplina-Locum in the Pacific hydrological region.
Under the new phase, the project will focus on 24 of Peru’s 159 basins to address water resources management challenges and prevent water disasters.
Four new water basin boards will be created in Urubamba, Pampas, Mantaro, and Alto Mayo of the Atlantic hydrological region, in addition to strengthening six existing water basin board
The funding will be used for the acquisition and installation of water quality monitoring equipment, measure use of water blocks for agricultural irrigation and monitor selected underground aquifers.
World Bank’s funding will also be used for measurement of water volume and levels of important rivers, as well as developing comprehensive program of dam safety.
Additionally, the funding will be used to construct capacities to store, process, analyze and disseminate information, monitor and forecast flooding and droughts, and incorporate these data in the National Water Resource Information System.
Expected to complete in 2022, the total cost of the program is $88.15m, of which Government of Peru will provide $48.15m.
The World Bank Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela director Alberto Rodríguez said: “With this project, the World Bank will continue efforts to strengthen ANA, the executive agency and maximum technical-legal authority of the National Water Resource Management System, which is responsible for enforcing the Water Resource Law.”