EUR 80 million loan for Tirana to secure stable water supply

Albania’s capital Tirana has secured an EUR 80 million loan for the water distribution system in order to secure 24-hour water supply for almost 1 million inhabitants of the city.

The loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) is the largest in the history of Tirana’s water supply and the construction works are expected to start within 2-3 years.

The loan will be used to modernize the existing distribution network and provide continuous, reliable, long-term water supply service in the city, with the Guri i Bardhë transmission line and the Tirana high-pressure water supply ring, the bank said.

The city is still far from having water 24 hours a day which is planned for 2024

It will also improve the quality of drinking water by eliminating the system of small personal reservoirs built on the roofs, which have high risk of water contamination.

Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj stressed the situation in water supply has drastically changed over the past few years, but that the city is still far from having water 24 hours a day, which is planned for 2024.

The largest loan in the history of Tirana’s water supply will enable the start of construction in the next 2-3 years to lay 45 km of pipelines, as well as to provide a high-pressure supply ring, which will give the opportunity to supply all units with the same amount of water, Veliaj said.

The loan is part of a EUR 144.5 million financial deal

According to Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj, the loan is part of a EUR 144.5 million financial deal that guarantees the modernisation of water supply infrastructure and, on the other hand, uninterrupted 24-hour water supply for almost 1 million inhabitants of the city of Tirana.

“Over the last two years, together with the EIB and the Municipality of Tirana we have undertaken careful and detailed work to reach the finalisation of the project,” he added.

EIB Vice-President Lilyana Pavlova, responsible for the Western Balkans, said the project would enable the security of water supply for all and bring the country closer to its environmental, urban development and climate action goals.