TIRANA, Aug 20 /ATA/The level of collections in the water supply and sanitation sector during the 7-month period increased by 7%, going up to 68.5% from 61.5% in the same period of 2023.
Deputy Prime Minister, also Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku announced on Tuesday that the profound reform launched in the water supply and sanitation sector, starting from the end of 2021, is delivering tangible and true results every year.
“The January-July 2024 performance is further proof of improvement in technical and financial indicators compared to a year ago. “Water loss is reduced, the water fee collections increase,” she stressed.
The restructuring of water utilities, a process which started in June 2022, came as a necessity due to the arrears that utilities amassed during the period they were managed by local government.
As part of the new reform, the government merged 46 directorates of water supply into only 15 central directorates, with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy owning no less than 51% of the voting shares.
The main goal of this reform was to improve the service delivery, providing water supply around the clock as well as guaranteeing financial soundness of all utilities.
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