Japan agrees on US$8mn for La Paz, Potosi waterworks

Bolivia's government has signed an agreement with Japan's government to receive US$8mn for drinking water projects in La Paz and Potosi departments, state news agency ABI reported. Some 158,000 residents in La Paz and another 709,000 in Potosi will benefit from works, the statement added. In mid-March, Japan agreed to invest US$20mn for water wells in rural areas of these departments, BNamericas previously reported. The government also agreed to lend drilling and related equipment for works, benefiting more than 65,000 residents. Japan also expressed interest in providing technical assistance to La Paz' five-year effort, designed to run through 2006, which aims to improve the quality of rural underground water resources.