A $210 million World Bank project will improve the quality of drinking water supply and wastewater services to 5 million residents in Baghdad who suffer from chronic supply shortages and outbreaks of disease. The work includes steps to stop leaking sewer pipes contaminating Baghdads water supply, the Bank said in a statement Wednesday. “The recently completed National Water and Land Strategy (2015-2035) indicates that Baghdad will need substantial investments in its water supply and wastewater treatment systems over the next 20 years,” said Saroj Kumar Jha, World Bank Mashreq Regional Director. “Given limited availability of public funding, attracting commercial finance will be critical for implementing this ambitious strategy” he said. “In close coordination with the International Finance Corporation, this project will focus on creating a more favorable business environment, and on supporting the preparation of feasibility studies and transactions to enable private sector participation in the water sector,” he added. A 135,000 cubic meter reservoir will help the city cope with climate-induced droughts. Sewerage pumping stations will be modernized to reduce the health risks of untreated wastewater discharged into the Tigris river, and about 130 kilometers of the water distribution network will be replaced. "Water supply and sanitation have immediate and major impacts on the quality of life of citizens," Baghdad mayor Thikra Alwash said in the statement. "We are committed to improving public services for the residents of Baghdad and to alleviating the burden households face on a daily basis in getting clean and reliable water supply."