Blome commends municipal project

US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome on Monday hailed the Municipal Services Project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), particularly the capital city of Peshawar.

Ambassador Blome visited the Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) office in Peshawar, to celebrate the successful completion of the $44.6 million project to provide more reliable access to clean drinking water, waste management, and improved sanitation to hundreds of thousands of people.

The project completed over a 12-year period envisaged rehabilitation of 140 clean drinking water facilities, serving 448,000 people; and replacement of 25,700 meters of old and rusted water mains, ensuring clean, reliable water supply in 21 union councils.

The project rehabilitated sewerage and drainage lines, which improved sanitation for 1.7 million people, ensured more efficient solid waste collection and disposal and improved services, including 575 vehicles and the establishment of a repair and maintenance workshop for waste management equipment.

“We should all be proud of the profound impact the Municipal Services Project has had on the lives of approximately 1.9 million residents in Peshawar’s urban areas – improved hygiene conditions, reduced risk of urban flooding, and better environmental protection,” Blome said.

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“I’m grateful to the strong partnership between USAID and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – notably the Local Government and the Rural Development Department – that made this programme possible,” the ambassador added.

The project demonstrates the United States’ strong and enduring commitment to the Pakistani people to support their welfare and wellbeing, broad-based and sustainable economic development, and a secure and prosperous Pakistan.

Through USAID, the US has partnered with the K-P government to reconstruct critical infrastructure damaged by natural and manmade disasters. USAID also supports initiatives that focus on basic healthcare, women’s education, and economic opportunities throughout the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2023.