Cabei approves US$12mn in loans for waterworks

The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (Cabei) has approved an US$11.6mn loan for Nicaragua to carry out a series of waterworks projects, Cabei announced. The loan will pay for 11 projects in all, 10 consisting of creating potable water supplies and one for a sanitary sewerage system in the departments of Managua, León, Nueva Segovia, Boaco and Rivas. The works will be carried out by state water and sewerage utility Enacal and will consist in building wells, treatment plants, pumping stations, storage tanks and transport lines, as well as carrying out project studies and designs. The modernization and extension of infrastructure, potable water supplies and the sewerage system will benefit some 355,000 residents that are currently exposed to sicknesses associated with consuming low-quality water, the bank said. Cabei has assets worth US$3.4bn, while its equity stands at US$1.4bn and its loan portfolio totals US$2.8bn.