THE Lowveld Escarpment District Council has budgeted R160-million for its 1999-2000 financial year to supply water and basic infrastructure to rural areas and local councils. Council chairman Lucas Shongwe on Thursday said the council was directly involved in supplying water and building roads in previously disadvantaged rural areas. Three regions, Nkomazi, the escarpment and Nelspruit fall under the council. Shongwe said urban areas get their budgets through their local councils for development. He said the council supplied water to 302000 people in the Nkomazi region at a cost of R51,4-million from 1995 to June this year. He added that R17350-million has been allocated for the upgrading of roads. Shongwe said the district council intends to supply water to about 200000 people in the Nelspruit at a cost of R24,1-million by June 2001. Rural roads in the area will be upgraded with R22550-million, Shongwe said.