Korean company offers $10 million grant to Wasa

LAHORE:Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has offered to give a grant of US $10 million to the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) for construction of a small scale wastewater treatment plant in the provincial metropolis.

In this regard, an online meeting was held between representatives of KOICA with Managing Director Wasa Syed Zahid Aziz here on Thursday. Director Engineering Zeeshan Bilal and Director Headquarters Fiza Anjum also participated in the meeting. After the meeting, MD Wasa while talking to the media said that Korea has offered to set up small scale wastewater treatment plants in Lahore and for this project Korea will give a grant of US $ 10 million.

MD Wasa said that the agency has identified six locations for small wastewater treatment plants. A model wastewater treatment plant will also be set up at the Wasa Training Centre. In addition, plants will be set up at Shadman Drain, Gulberg Drain, Shalimar Escape Channel, Satto Katla Drain and near FC College University, he revealed and added that the pilot project will also be helpful for staff training and capacity building.

Prior to the construction of major wastewater projects in the city, small wastewater plants will be installed through the Korean project, he said. Giving more details, MD Wasa said that the tentative title of this project was “Construction of Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Plants and Integrated Smart Management System.” He said a draft plan of the project is under process and will be submitted to KOICA till Sept 19, 2021 and the Koreans will submit their proposal with “Letter of Interest” to the Wasa.

“At initial stage, they are thinking of decentralized wastewater treatment plants in Lahore to utilise the treated water as groundwater recharging or gardening/washing water,” Zahid Aziz said. MD Wasa concluded that a team from Korea may visit Pakistan to further discuss the project details and the final PCP (Project concept paper) will be ready in October 2021.