TIRANA, Nov 11 /ATA/ Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, held on Thursday a meeting with the mayors and directors of water supply the region of Fier with focus on reform of water sector.
Balluku discussed with the mayors and directors of the region’s water supply to enable provision of quality service to the citizens, but at the same time to improve the performance of enterprises.
“We have decided to undertake a comprehensive and substantial reform of the water supply and sanitation system,” Balluku said.
She requested an analysis based on the indicators provided by the municipalities themselves and the water supply directorates. “To understand why this real and intensive investment, especially those of last 3 years in this sector, fails to yield results. Moreover in some cases, given that these indicators are declared by you, it is otherwise. “Although investments have ramped up, unpaid water quantity has increased, which are technical losses, stolen quantities or everything else, which flows through deposits, but cannot be paid or charged,” said Balluku.
Balluku stated that, “the average coverage of water supply for the population in entire region of Fier is 65.78%.”
Regarding the investments that have been undertaken in the region of Fier from 2014 until today, Balluku said that, “7.25 billion ALL have been invested, or 59 million euros”.
Balluku said that, “for the region of Fier, the total of outstanding liabilities until June 2021 is 5.86 billion ALL, or 47.5 million euros.
Another problem highlighted by Balluku is the efficiency of the staff, which the Minister said, “is directly related to mismanagement of the sector everywhere in Albania and especially in the region of Fier. ”
“We respect local autonomy, however, in the event of financial impossibility on the side of water supply system, the state is obliged to step in, bypassing any other legal framework, for the benefit of the citizens and obviously to relaunch the system, which has started to infect other sectors of economy. “one of us wants to take on more responsibilities than we have, it is not even the dream of the central government to take over and manage the water supply system, but this is a situation that can no longer be tolerated,” Balluku said.
Balluku said that car washes using tap water will be subject to scrutiny.
“Regarding the misuse of water, the car washes continue and remain a big concern. Under the legislation. car washes should be supplied by wells and tankers. Unfortunately, it turns out that they are supplied by drinking water sources,” the minister emphasized.
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