In December 2023, works for the improvement of the water supply system and the construction of the sewerage network have officially started in Elbasan. This major investment is part of the WPIP/MIP Project V “Performance and Investment Program in the Water Sector / Municipal Infrastructure Program V” through which the quality of drinking water supply will be transformed.
The project includes the rehabilitation of the primary network and the secondary and tertiary network, the construction of metering and pressure areas, and the provision of water meters to household subscribers, businesses and public entities. The opening event was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister, at the same time Minister for Infrastructure and Energy, Mrs. Belinda Balluku who was accompanied by the Director of the National Water and Sewerage Agency, Mr. Klevis Jahaj and Deputy head of KfW, Mr. Bledar Dollaku.
Referring to the water supply situation in the city of Elbasan, Mr. Jahja announced that “Here a hydraulic model will be used which we have also implemented with success in other cities such as Korça, Pogradeci and Lezha to supply the city with 24 hours of water. The start of these works will ensure a 24-hour water supply for the area affected by the investment. 49 000 citizens will directly benefit from this.”.
Minister Balluku expressed her thanks to KfW and SECO, the two partners and supporters of the Albanian Government as far as investments in water supply and sewerage are concerned, emphasizing that a depreciated water supply system with many problems was inherited, but that with the interventions carried out which have affected almost the whole country, have changed the situation in this sector.
“Just like electricity, water also has its own costs of transmission and distribution, but I believe that a good job has been done by AKUK and by our partners such as SECO and KfW by informing the entire population in terms of the Government’s commitment Albanians to invest in water distribution systems, but also sewage systems”, said Balluku, adding that investments in the sector will continue in other areas as well.
Improving the quality of supply for all citizens, wherever they are, is the main objective of the Albanian Government, but of course also reducing costs for societies. “In addition to aggregation, in addition to sounding the system from the financial side, in addition to the good operation that the enterprises are showing today, innovation will be one of the other instruments that we will use for improving water supply and sewage services. And when we say innovation, we start with energy innovation. We have several cases of success and we will continue to find an instrument on how we can support enterprises to start and be auto energy producers, which is very important”, stated Balluku.
The investment foresees the replacement of 42.5 kilometres of water pipeline. In addition, in order to increase the drinking water supply capacity, the rehabilitation of the current reservoir and the construction of a new reservoir are foreseen.
To guarantee safe drinking water, the construction of a network of 3.4 kilometres of sewage collection network is foreseen which will protect the area of Krasta e Vogël, Mangël and Frigoriferi in case of major floods.
