The city of Chennai in India is arming itself against climate change: KfW finances sustainable rainwater management with EUR 150 million

Frankfurt am Main (ots) -

- Better protection against flooding for around 550,000 residents
and business owners
- Securing of drinking water supplies
- Construction of 215 kilometres of rainwater harvesting channels
and infrastructure for rainwater storage

Today in India's metropolis of Chennai, KfW Development Bank signed a contract
worth EUR 150 million for sustainable rainwater management with the Greater
Chennai Corporation (GCC) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic
Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The goal of the measure is to establish a
wide-reaching and integrated rainwater management system, which would benefit
around 550,000 people and business owners. The system is designed to minimise
the effects of flooding and make rainwater available to recharge groundwater,
thus preventing scarcity of drinking water supplies.

"Using an improved rainwater management system and sustainable municipal
infrastructure development in Chennai, we can better protect one of the most
important industrial centres in southern India and its commercial areas, along
with its people, from flooding due to heavy rainfall. This will make them more
resistant to the consequences of climate change," said Prof. Dr Joachim Nagel,
member of KfW Group's Executive Board.

Chennai is the sixth largest city in India and one of the most densely populated
in the country. Rainwater there is currently totally underutilised, which is why
there was an acute crisis this year when the city's four service reservoirs
dried up. Together with GCC, KfW will not only build 215 kilometres of rainwater
harvesting channels, but also an improved infrastructure for storing rainwater
and recharging the groundwater. This includes hundreds of infiltration wells,
rainwater storage boxes and absorbing wells. Special infrastructure measures
also reduce the entry of garbage into the rainwater system, which is close to
the coast, thereby contributing to the protection of the ocean.

The project thus supports the goals of KfW's Clean Ocean Initiative, which it
launched on behalf of the German Federal Government together with the European
Investment Bank (EIB) and the French development bank AFD.

The metropolitan region of Chennai is located just slightly above sea level and
has already been noticeably affected by human-induced climate change. Along with
heavy rains and flooding, there is also a high risk of drinking water scarcity,
not to mention an overuse of groundwater reserves.

More information on KfW Development Bank is available at:
http://ots.de/JJgbaf

Contact:
KfW, Palmengartenstr. 5 - 9, 60325 Frankfurt
Kommunikation (KOM), Dr. Charis Pöthig
Tel. +49 (0)69 7431 4683, Fax: +49 (0)69 7431 3266,
E-Mail: charis.poethig@kfw.de, Internet: www.kfw.de

Weiteres Material: https://www.presseportal.de/pm/41193/4463630
OTS: KfW

Original-Content von: KfW, übermittelt durch news aktuell