Start of the EU-funded Technical Assistance for Water Supply Improvement and Water Resources Protection in Kosovo*

An EU-funded project “Water Supply Improvement and Water Resources Protection for Gjakova Regional Water Company” was launched on 15 September 2021 in Gjakova, Kosovo. The Kick-off Meeting was attended by the representatives of main stakeholders, including the Regional Water Company, Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Diaspora and Ministry of Finance of Kosovo, as well as representatives of the WBIF, the European Investment Bank, and Infrastructure Project Facility 8 (IPF8) that will implement the project.

The objective of the project is to ensure provision of efficient and high-quality water supply in the service area of Gjakova Regional Water Company, reduce water losses in the network, reduce water abstraction and protect water resources, and increase the financial sustainability of the operator. The project is expected to increase the quality of water supply for more than 176,000 inhabitants. Its scope includes replacement of asbestos cement pipes with polyethylene pipes in the urban area of Gjakova (50 km) and in Rahovec and Prizren villages (90 km), installation of 41,000 smart meters in the water supply system and protection of 7 km of the deviation canal feeding water from the Lumbardhi River to the Radoniqi Lake.

The European Union, through the WBIF provided a technical assistance grant of €900,000. The estimated total investment cost of the project is €37.4 million and is planned to be financed through the EIB loan and local sources. The consultancy services will provide much needed assistance to the Gjakova Regional Water Company in the preparation of technical documentation (Feasibility Study, ESIA, Detailed Design, Tender Dossier) towards the implementation stage.

Ismet Ahmeti, the Chief Executive Officer of Gjakova Regional Water Company expressed his gratitude regarding the start of works for the implementation of this project. He highlighted: "The implementation of this Project will end many problems, that are related to water infrastructure, by increasing the service quality of the water supply to our customers. Gjakova Regional Water Company states its appreciation to the European Union for funding the project through WBIF and the European Investment Bank for endorsement of this vital project. Gjakova Regional Water Company is committed with its entire capacity for the realization of this project, together with all its collaborators. Such projects are more than welcome for the development of our country".

Dije Rizvanolli, Ministry of Finance of Kosovo: “The initiation of this project comes as a result of strong ownership by the Gjakova Regional Water Company, and it marks an important milestone in water sector investments for Kosovo. Our approach to bringing forward projects to be endorsed by WBIF is shifting to the beneficiaries that demonstrate ownership and are committed to implement the investments in the mid-term. We look forward to the outcomes of the study and we thank the EIB for their excellent cooperation in addressing the requests of the beneficiary. WBIF is one of the key blending facilities that enables us to transform our country and supports our aspirations to join the EU”.