The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
Government of Japan donates $1 million to improve access to potable water in North Darfur
Through ongoing conflict in the region, reliable access to safe, clean drinking water has long been an issue for local communities.
The new, one-year project will build upon the earlier rehabilitation of a water treatment plant in El Fasher, the region’s state capital. Implemented by UNOPS, the project will run until early 2017.
‘Emergency Intervention to Provide Safe Drinking Water for the Poor in North Darfur’ will also focus on local capacity training, so that plant employees are better equipped to deal with issues of regular maintenance and quality assurance.
“I hope the Japanese-funded project will improve access to safe water for people of El Fasher and IDP camps through the installing of equipment and trainings of the staff, since water is one of the basic elements for human life,” said H.E. Mr. Hideki Ito, Ambassador of Japan to Sudan.
Caption
- The water treatment plant was first rehabilitated in 2014 and is now undergoing improvements to its water disinfection facility.
The earlier 2014 project was also implemented by UNOPS with Japanese funding and saw the overall rehabilitation of the treatment plant.
At maximum capacity, the plant is now able to produce 1,500 cubic meters of water per day for 37,500 people, which is equivalent to the minimum requirements of 40 litres per person per day.
UNOPS will install chlorine dosing units in an effort to improve essential water disinfection processes and help stamp-out the increasing trend of waterborne disease.
Water scarcity has plagued Darfur for over a decade and has also helped to fuel ongoing conflict, which has continued to bring about widespread internal displacement.
The Government of Japan is also financing water supply improvement projects implemented by UNOPS in El Geneina, West Darfur and Ed Daein in East Darfur.
