Initial Environmental Examination August 2019 LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC: WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT SUBPROJECT: DAKCHEUNG DISTRICT, SEKONG PROVINCE Prepared by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport for the Asian Development Bank. i CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of August 2019) Currency unit - Lao Kip (K) K1.00 = $0.0001149 $1.00 = K 8,700 ABBREVIATIONS ADB - Asian Development Bank DoNRE - Provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment EARF - Environmental Assessment and Review Framework EHS - Environmental Health and Safety EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment EMP - Environmental Management Plan EPL - Environmental Protection Law GRM - Grievance Redress Mechanism IEE - Initial Environmental Examination LACP - Land Acquisition and Compensation Plan MPH - Ministry of Public Health MONRE - Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment MPWT - Ministry of Public Works and Transport MSDS - Materials Safety Data Sheets NAPA - National Adaptation Program of Action NRW - Non-Revenue Water PCU - Project Coordination Unit PIU - Project Implementation Unit PNP - Nam Papa SPS - Safeguards Policy Statement, 2009 UXO - Unexploded Ordnance VDC - Village Development Committee VEI - Village Environmental Improvement WSSP - Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project WTP - Water Treatment Plant WEIGHTS AND MEASURE ha - hectare m - meter km - kilometer l/s - Liters per second masl - Meters above sea level mm - millimetre oC - Degree Centigrade dBA - Decibel mg/l - Milligram per liter ii NOTE In this report, "$" refers to US dollars. This updated initial environmental examination (IEE) is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................ 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 DESCRIPTION OF SUBPROJECT.................................................................................................. 1 1.3 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK .......................................... 2 1.4 DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................... 2 1.4.1 Physical Resources ......................................................................................................... 2 1.4.2 Water Resources............................................................................................................. 3 1.4.3 Geology and Natural Hazards ......................................................................................... 3 1.4.4 Ecological Resources ...................................................................................................... 3 1.4.5 Historical and Archaeological Sites ................................................................................. 3 1.4.6 Unexploded Ordnance .................................................................................................... 3 1.4.7 Socio-Economic Condition .............................................................................................. 3 1.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ........................................................................................................ 4 1.5.1 Benefits of the Subproject ............................................................................................... 4 1.5.2 Adverse Environmental Impacts ..................................................................................... 4 1.5.2.1 Environmental Impacts Related to Location ............................................................... 4 1.5.2.2 Environmental Impacts during Construction ............................................................... 5 1.5.2.3 Environmental Impacts during Operation .................................................................... 7 1.6 INFORMATION DISCLOSURE, CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION ............................................... 8 1.7 GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM ........................................................................................... 8 1.8 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (EMP) ............................................................................ 8 2 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 11 2.1 METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................................... 11 2.2 PROJECT CATEGORY .............................................................................................................. 12 3 POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK .......................................... 12 3.1 ENVIRONMENTAL SAFEGUARDS POLICIES, ADB ....................................................................... 12 3.2 LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ON ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC .......................................................................................................... 13 3.2.1 Environmental Impact Assessment ............................................................................... 13 3.3 DRINKING WATER QUALITY STANDARDS .................................................................................. 13 3.3.1 Discharge Standards ..................................................................................................... 14 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT .............................................................................. 14 4.1 GENERAL ............................................................................................................................... 14 4.2 SERVICE AREA ....................................................................................................................... 15 4.3 WATER SOURCE ..................................................................................................................... 18 4.4 RAW WATER INTAKE AND TRANSMISSION................................................................................. 18 4.5 WATER TREATMENT PLANT ..................................................................................................... 19 4.6 WATER STORAGE ................................................................................................................... 19 4.7 PUMPING STATIONS ................................................................................................................ 21 4.8 DISTRIBUTION NETWORK ........................................................................................................ 21 4.9 ACCESS ROADS ..................................................................................................................... 21 4.10 PNP OFFICE .......................................................................................................................... 21 4.11 O&M EQUIPMENT ................................................................................................................... 21 4.12 CONNECTION POLICY .............................................................................................................. 21 5 DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT .................................................................... 22 5.1 PHYSICAL RESOURCES ........................................................................................................... 22 5.2 GEOLOGY AND NATURAL HAZARDS ......................................................................................... 22 5.3 AIR QUALITY AND NOISE ......................................................................................................... 23 5.4 CLIMATE ................................................................................................................................ 23 5.4.1 Climate Change............................................................................................................. 23 5.5 WATER RESOURCES ............................................................................................................... 23 5.6 ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES ...................................................................................................... 24 5.7 HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES ............................................................................... 24 5.8 UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE ....................................................................................................... 24 5.9 SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS .............................................................................................. 24 5.9.1 Economy ....................................................................................................................... 25 iv 5.9.2 Ethnicity ......................................................................................................................... 25 5.9.3 Income and Poverty Levels ........................................................................................... 25 5.9.4 Education .....................................................................................................................