The EU has helped to fund a project to modernise water and waste water systems in the Jiu Valley area of Romania’s Hunedoara County. The infrastructure serves the urban areas of Aninoasa, Lupeni, Petrila, Petroșani, Uricani and Vulcan.
- 20 December 2017
For water supply systems, the project includes modernisation of the Izvoru water catchment system and construction of three pumping stations at Valea de Brazi, Stefan and Campu lui Neag.
A total of 25.6 km of water main are to be renovated, of which 4.1 km are in Petrila, 3.7 km are in Polatiste, 10.8 km are in Vulcan and Petroșani, 3 km are in Morisoara, 2.6 km are in Braia and 1.4 km are in Uricani, while 4.2 km of mains pipes are to be laid in Valea de Pesti-Campu lui Neag.
Repair and extension of distribution pipes
In all, 69.6 km of water distribution piping is to be repaired. Of this, 9.2 km are in Petrila, 18.4 km are in Petroșani, 7 km are in Uricani, 17.1 km are in Lupeni, 16 km are in Vulcan and 1.9 km are in Aninoasa. Laying of distribution pipes 8 km in length takes place at Campu lui Neag.
Extension of the Valea de Pesti drinking water treatment plant includes construction of a storage tank and a chlorination station. The Zanoaga and Taia plants are also to be renovated. Equipment is to be procured for network maintenance and work following detection by the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system of leaks or the need for emergency intervention. Further procurement activities concern the acquisition and instalment of an additional SCADA system.
For waste water systems, the project entails renovation of 47.4 km of main and secondary sewers, of which 7.4 km are in Petrila, 11.1 km are in Petroșani, 12.8 km are in Lupeni, 7.2 km are in Vulcan, 2.5 km are in Aninoasa and 6.4 km are in Uricani. Five waste water pumping stations are to be built, of which two each are in Petroșani and Lupeni, and one is in Uricani.
As with the water supply side, procurement of equipment for network maintenance, plugging of leaks and emergency interventions also form part of the project, along with purchase and installation of a SCADA system.
Clean drinking water
One of the main objectives is to ensure continuous provision of clean drinking water for the 110 000 people who live in the area. Following completion of the work, around 99 % of the population will be connected to the water network with access to drinking water of adequate quality, thus reducing risks to human health. Reduction of loss of water from the network is another aim. Losses are expected to be cut substantially, from 78 % to 48 %.
The waste water part of the project is mainly focused on minimising infiltration into the sewage network and the risk of environmental pollution. Infiltration is expected to drop from 70 % to 30 %. Levels of connection to the sewage network were already high and will increase slightly, to 98 % in Petroșani and 99 % in Uricani.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Modernisation of water and waste water infrastructure in the Hunedoara County (Jiu Valley) – 2014-2020” is EUR 84 796 058, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 60 715 392 through the “Large Infrastructure” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period.