The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will loan US$150 million to central China's Anhui Province for a project to improve wastewater treatment, flood control and transport.

The project would comprise wastewater and waste management, river rehabilitation and flood control, and improved road infrastructure and traffic management, said an ADB official.

Water pollution and flooding are major environmental hazards in the provincial capital, Hefei, which has a geography dominated by rivers, streams and lakes, and a population of about 4.5 million.

"The project will help to improve the quality of life in Hefei by reducing the incidence of waterborne and airborne diseases, road accidents, and vehicle emissions," said the official.

The cost of the project is estimated at US$372.4 million and the provincial government will provide the rest of the funding.

The project timetable was unavailable.

The bank would help China in key areas, including public health, education, agriculture, rural development and regional cooperation, in the next few years, said the official.

The ADB would also continue to assist in areas like infrastructure, protection of the environment and resources.

Last year, the ADB approved US$7.4 billion in loans, of which 21 percent, or US$1.6 billion, went to China, according to its annual report.

(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2007)