Sedapal to channel US$288mn loans into Huaycan

Lima's water utility Sedapal has been granted two loans for a total of US$288mn that will be used for waterworks in the locality of Huaycan, local paper El Comercio quoted Sedapal president Pedro Pablo Garcia as saying. The first, a US$70mn facility from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), will provide 24-hour drinking water services to residents. Works are scheduled for completion by July 2004, benefiting some 70,000 residents. Another US$218mn loan will fund construction of a drinking water treatment plant and related services. The drilling of two wells will begin in January 2004 and the primary and secondary works will begin in July. Sedapal officials were unavailable to disclose the source of the second loan when contacted by BNamericas. Residents have complained of excessive water rates and service quality, the paper added.