The South Korean government has committed USD 6 million to expand and improve the water supply system in Lak Sao, Kham Keut district, Bolikhamxay Province, aiming to provide safe and reliable water for local communities.
On 8 August, Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport Ngampasong Muangmany signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) President Sungsoo Oh in Vientiane.
The five-year project (2025–2029) will be implemented by the Ministry’s Water Supply Department in partnership with Bolikhamxay Province through its Provincial Water Supply Division and State Enterprise.
Key components include designing and constructing new water facilities, upgrading existing systems, expanding distribution networks, and ensuring environmental and social impact assessments. Unexploded ordnance clearance will also be carried out to guarantee safety during implementation.
The project will train water supply operators and technical managers, strengthen the capacity of central and local officials, and promote community engagement in water and sanitation education. It will also monitor the safety of local water sources and compile comprehensive water and groundwater quality data.
Upon completion, the upgraded system is expected to increase safe water supply coverage from 12,734 people today to 24,119 by 2040.
The initiative aims to improve health, livelihoods, and gender equity by reducing the burden of water collection, particularly for women and children.
The project seeks to create a modern water supply system that follows the “3S” principles such as safety, stability, and sustainability, by following the goals of the Water Supply Sector Development Strategy 2030, to make sure that 90 percent of people in provincial and district municipalities can access safe water.