The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a US$112 million loan to develop water supply infrastructure and strengthen the capacity of urban local bodies (ULBs) for improved service delivery in four towns in the state of Jharkhand.

Four water treatment plants, with a combined capacity of 275 million liters per day, will be established in the project towns to provide safe drinking water, meeting the national drinking water quality standards. The project will also establish 940 kilometers of the water distribution network to provide water supply to about 115,000 households, including those below the poverty line and other vulnerable groups.

The project will strengthen the capacity of ULBs on urban service delivery and governance through the development of an asset management strategy and training on the design and implementation of urban projects. The project will include the introduction of technologies to minimize water losses in water treatment ad distribution as well as the use of supervisory control and data acquisition system for water supply operation and geographic information system-based asset management in Ranchi.