ISLAMABAD: The Wor­­­ld Bank will provide $300 million for a Sindh government project to increase access to safe water supply, sanitation and hygiene services in selected rural areas of the province.

Estimated approval of the first phase of the project named Sindh Trans­for­ma­tional Accelera­ted Rural Water Supply, Sani­tation and Hygiene Servi­ces, is exp­e­­cted in Septem­ber, says a World Bank document.

Based on per capita inv­e­­stment cost estimates, the project is expected to benefit approximately 2.5 million people across service clusters in 16 of 23 rural districts of Sindh, focusing on the largest co­­­ncen­tra­t­i­ons of depri­ved populatio­ns where susta­i­nable, professionally managed WASH services are feasible.

The International Deve­lopment Assoc­iation (IDA) will provide concessional loan of $200 million, while the Interna­ti­onal Bank for Reconstruction and Deve­lopment (IBRD) will give $100m for the project. The Asian Development Bank is likely to provide $100m for the project having the total financing of $550m.

About 90 per cent of rural households in Sindh consume water contaminated with E. coli, reflecting widespread deficiencies in fecal waste management and hygiene practices, even where water is safe at the source. In response, the project will prioritise the delivery of integrated water and sanitation infrastructure supported by sustainably and professionally managed WASH services.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2026