wastewater-treatment-plant – Albanian Telegraphic Agency.

Malltezi: Albania ranks last in Europe for wastewater treatment

Sonila Mehmeti — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 10:02:26 +0000

TIRANA, Aug 8 /ATA/ Jamarbër Malltezi, head of the Democratic Party’s Environment Department, raised concerns at a media briefing on Saturday over the treatment of wastewater in Albania.

Citing Eurostat data, Malltezi said only 12.6% of Albania’s population is connected to wastewater treatment plants providing at least secondary treatment, while 88% of wastewater is discharged without the necessary treatment.

“Eurostat data show a sharp deterioration in recent years. The share of wastewater receiving treatment fell from 33.6% in 2018 to 30.9% in 2020 and then dropped further to 12.6% in 2024,” he said.

He said Albania ranks last in Europe and the Balkans on this indicator. Compared with the European Union average, Albania’s level of wastewater treatment is six times lower, he said.

“Some 88% of wastewater is discharged without the necessary treatment, polluting rivers, lakes and the sea and causing infectious diseases among people,” Malltezi said.

Malltezi questioned the effectiveness of institutions responsible for protecting the environment and public health.

“Why are we paying thousands of salaries to employees and institutions that fail to provide even basic services?” he said.

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Rama: New wastewater treatment plant in Burrel to tackle a perpetual environmental problem

Sonila Mehmeti — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 13:00:58 +0000

TIRANA, Feb 12 /ATAi/ In the municipality of Mat, the project for the construction of the sewage network and the wastewater treatment plant is in full swing. The project which covers the town of Burrel and tits suburban areas, tackles a perpetual problem for this area.

The project entails the laying of about 24 kilometers of sewer pipes, installation of 300 manholes for disposal of wastewater and the laying of secondary and tertiary pipelines.

Prime Minister Edi Rama shared photos from the field inspection of the works by the Deputy Prime Minister, also Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, together with the administrator of AKUK, Klevis Jahaj and the mayor of Mati, Agron Malaj.

“The construction of the new sewage network and the waste water treatment plant in Burrel, an important investment that tackles a perpetual environmental problem, is in full swing. This investment benefits all the residents of Mat, but also the tourists who choose to explore this beautiful area in the north,” Rama said on his social media account.

Currently, the suburban area of Burrel and the village of Muzhak use septic tanks for disposal of wastewater, which fall short of technical parameters, while the rest use canals, which pose a constant risk. Once the investment is completed, this environmental problem will be tackled.
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