JAKARTA, Jan 31 — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$419.6 million (RM1.9 billion) loan for Indonesia’s Citywide Inclusive Sanitation Project, aimed at enhancing access to climate-resilient and well-managed sanitation services in Mataram, Pontianak and Semarang.

While 77 per cent of Indonesian households have basic sanitation, only seven per cent have safe sanitation, which leads to environmental and health risks, especially in cities susceptible to flooding and inadequate sewerage, according to ADB.

"The project aims to strengthen the sanitation systems for approximately 2.5 million people in the three cities,” the bank stated in a statement today.

The initiative seeks to improve sanitation by building wastewater treatment plants with a daily capacity of 57,000 cubic metres and installing 200 kilometres of sewer networks.

ADB’s commitment aligns seamlessly with broader initiatives addressing climate change and fostering prosperity in Asia and the Pacific while sustaining relentless efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. — Bernama