Reconstruction of the internal water network of Durrës in Albania

Albania's water resources are among the most abundant in Europe, but with an uneven geographic and temporal distribution. Drinking water is produced and distributed by 58 municipal operators, whose operational and financial performance is relatively low. Thus, the Albanian State has decided to inject about 12 M€/year to compensate for operating deficits.

In order to improve the quality and sustainability of the water supply network and to align with European standards in view of its accession to the European Union, Albania has invested massively in the water sector with the support of international donors. In addition, a major sectoral reform is underway.

Durrës was severely affected by two earthquakes in 2019. This project has been included in the national post-earthquake reconstruction program, as the improvement of water and sanitation services is considered strategic for the development of tourism and business activity in Durres, and has a knock-on effect on the overall economic development of the country.

The project aims to support the Durrës Water Utility (DWSU) in improving its operational performance, in line with the five-year strategy it adopted in 2018. Specifically, this project will:

• meet the demand for continuous and quality services to support the city's socio-economic activities;
• limit environmental impacts by preserving the quantity and quality of resources;
• improve DWSU's economic, financial and operational performance.  

The project has four components:

• Renewal of the distribution network in the city of Durrës (€37 million);
• Rehabilitation of the Fushe Kuqe pumping station and water transfer pipeline ( €15.7 million);
• Realization of the sanitation master plan for the region of Durrës (€1.3 million);
• Support to DWSU and project coordination.

The estimated indicative amount of consultancy services (components 1, 2 and 4) is €7 million.

The project will have significant beneficial effects in terms of:

• Socio-economic development of the region, through the improvement of the operator's performance and thus the improvement of the quality of the water service;
• Reduction of inequalities, by ensuring the availability of the essential water service for all at an affordable price;
• Governance of the sector, through important support for capacity building of the operator. The project will help develop DWSU's strategy of social pricing for vulnerable populations.