DUSHANBE, July 9, 2015, Asia-Plus -- Tajikistan needs about 2 billion U.S. dollars to fully provide the population with safe drinking water and it will take about 80 years, the State Unitary Enterprise Khojagii Manziliu Kommunali (KMK -- the state holding company for public utilities) top manager Alimurod Islomzoda announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 9.

“To date, only some 57 percent of the country’s population has access to safe drinking water,” Islomzoda noted.

“Currently, projects to rehabilitate water supply systems in the regions are being implemented under support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) but these funds (50-54 million U.S. dollars) are not sufficient to fully rehabilitate these systems,” said the KMK top manager.  “About 2 billion U.S. dollars are needed and the full rehabilitation of the water supply systems will take 80-85 years.”

Islomzoda further added that they had already worked out investment water supply projects for all settlements.