Minister Karakaçi Announces €118 Million for the Rehabilitation of Durrës Water Supply and Sewerage System

Enea Karakaçi, the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, proclaimed the approval of numerous projects to improve and expand water supply and sewerage infrastructure in Durrës and Tirana, as well as to upgrade energy efficiency in public schools, following a meeting of the Council of Ministers.
Under an agreement with the French government, one of the initiatives involves the expansion of the wastewater treatment plant and the rehabilitation of the water supply and sewerage system in Durrës. The project is estimated to be worth €118 million, with the European Union providing a grant of approximately €80 million through the Western Balkans Investment Framework.
The European Union has allocated a €50 million grant through the Western Balkans Investment Framework to expand the investment phase in Durrës to include the areas of Porto Romano, Shkozet, and Spitallë, as Minister Karakaçi also announced. The investment will also facilitate the expansion of the wastewater treatment plant and the water supply and sewerage network beyond the city of Durrës.
The minister announced the approval of two additional initiatives for Tirana. The initial phase entails the enhancement of the water supply system, which includes the installation of SCADA systems and smart metering systems, the rehabilitation of 10 kilometers of existing pipelines, and the construction of approximately 40 kilometers of new pipelines. The project, which is estimated to be worth approximately €80 million, will be co-financed with the European Investment Bank in order to secure a grant that exceeds 50% of the investment cost.
The second initiative, which was developed in collaboration with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, is estimated to be worth €22 million. It offers energy-efficiency investments in 50 public schools. The objective is to enhance the energy efficiency of the buildings through the implementation of external thermal insulation systems, solar panels, and structural rehabilitation.