Georgia has signed a €200 million financing agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to improve access to clean drinking water in rural areas. The deal was formally accepted by Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili and ADB’s Country Director for Georgia, Leslie Bearman-Lamm.
The funds will support the government’s new results-based loan program, ‘Clean, Local, and Equal Access to Water Resources,’ to provide sustainable and inclusive water supply to communities outside major cities. The program will be implemented by the United Water Supply Company of Georgia, operating under the Ministry of Infrastructure.
ADB stated that the initiative will expand and rehabilitate water infrastructure in at least 100 villages, ensuring continuous access to safe drinking water. The bank noted that the program builds on a decade of successful cooperation in Georgia’s water sector, during which 24-hour water supply has already been established in 13 cities across the country.
“This new program continues ADB’s long-term support for Georgia’s water sector,” said Leslie Bearman-Lamm. “By improving access to clean water, it will enhance living conditions and economic opportunities in rural communities, where outdated Soviet-era systems still dominate.”
The ADB emphasized that the program is within the scope of Georgia’s Vision 2030 development strategy and supports the government’s efforts to reduce disparities between urban and rural water supply services.
