The Dominican Senate approved yesterday the US$90 million loan that will finance the aqueduct needed in the Northwest Line. The money will come from the National Bank of Economic and Social Development of Brazil (BNDES) and the Deutsche Bank, and will be used to expand the existing water system that was begun during the Balaguer administrations. Twenty-four senators voted in favor of the project after hearing the report given by senator Fausto Lopez Solis (PRD-La Vega), who requested that the Senate include the loan agreement in the agenda of the day. The financing was supported by senator Cesar Augusto Matias (PRD-Valverde) who pointed out that the project would solve the potable water issues for thousands of people in the Northwest. Matias said that the expansion of the existing system would bring heath and living condition benefits to these people. The government had negotiated a US$64.9 million package to finance the export of goods and services from Brazil. The deal with Deutsche Bank is for US$25 million to cover the local expenditures associated with the execution of the ambitious project. According to Hoy and other papers, the loans carry an interest rate of Libor =3.75%, and are to be paid off in five years. Now the whole package has to go to the Chamber od Deputies for approval.