Tirana-Finding nature-friendly technical solutions continues to be one of the main challenges of sustainable development, especially when it comes to infrastructure projects. For a positive and long-standing impact of a project, the technical solutions must be in balance with nature. In many cases the solutions can be found in nature itself.

This is the case with gravity water supply systems, a nature-friendly technique and low cost construction, maintenance and management. These systems ensure the supply of water from the source to the consumer through free fall, without the need to use pumps.

The Albanian Development Fund has been active in the construction of gravity schemes since 2010. Rural Water Supply Programs I and II, funded by the Albanian Government and the German Government through KfW have been successfully completed. By means of said programs, 47 water supply systems were built for approximately 60,000 inhabitants of Kukes, Diber and Shkodra. This year the ADF started implementing the third program.

 

Funding for the RWSP III program reaches EUR 39.97 million and has been joined by other financial partners such as the European Union, the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF). By 2021, at least 23 systems are planned for 83 villages in 14 municipalities. The total number of beneficiaries is estimated at about 83,000 inhabitants.

The potential to build gravity water supply has been one of the main criteria for selecting water supplies that are being funded by RWSP III. In addition to construction costs, gravity water supply also has lower maintenance and management costs, which is a further guarantee of longevity of investment and impact on residents. ADF cooperates closely with the selected municipalities, which are also part of the funding with 10% of the amount. Installing meters for each customer is another problem that the program addresses. Water is a national asset, but also a commodity that, like any other commodity when consumed, must be paid for. In such a way it is also intended to raise consumers awareness for its responsible use.