CDM to Provide Program Management for Lesotho Dam and Water Delivery Infrastructure
December 11, 2008
MASERU, LESOTHO—The Millennium Challenge Account-Lesotho Authority has selected CDM for a 5-year, $12.7 million contract to provide program management for the $180 million Metolong Dam activities in Maseru and neighboring towns. The project is financed by a compact between the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the government of Lesotho, as well as a consortium of Arab donors, The World Bank, and the European Union. It consists of the following components:
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Metolong Dam: 73-meter roller compacted concrete dam and multi-stage raw water intake and pump station
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Water treatment plant: 75-million-liter-per-day water treatment plant and ancillary facilities, including a raw water transmission main and high-lift pump station
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Downstream conveyance system: 100 kilometers of transmission pipelines
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Advanced infrastructure: Project access roads, power supply, water and sanitation systems, telecommunications, and a construction camp
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Environmental and social management: Comprehensive mitigation and monitoring program, including cultural resources management and development, land acquisition and resettlement, catchment management, and HIV/AIDS awareness program
The Metolong Dam activities will allow for better management of water resources and increase connections to the urban water supply system. In keeping with MCC's goal to reduce poverty, the project will create infrastructure to deliver water to garment and textile operations—preserving an estimated 28,000 jobs while creating approximately 6,000 additional jobs. Domestic users will benefit from water system upgrades and expansion for a more reliable water supply and a reduction in waterborne diseases from improved sanitation.
Established as a U.S. government corporation in 2004, MCC administers the Millenium Challenge Account, which funds projects aimed at reducing global poverty through the promotion of sustainable economic growth.