EU funding has made possible the implementation of the second phase of a project to extend and modernise drinking water supply, waste water collection and treatment systems in Sibiu and Brașov counties, part of the Centre development region of Romania within the country’s Macroregion one. The project covered services in the urban areas of Sibiu, Făgăraș, Cisnădie, Avrig, Ocna Sibiului, Miercurea Sibiului, Rășinari, Șelimbăr, Loamneș (Păuca), Ludoș and Apoldu de Jos.
- 01 February 2018
For the drinking water supply systems, the work involved the extension and renovation of water distribution infrastructure of a total length of 1.64 kilometres, of which 0.32 km is in the north-western districts of the city of Sibiu and 1.32 km is in Făgăraș.
As regards the waste water collection and treatment systems, the sewerage networks in Ocna Sibiului and Făgăraș have been extended by a total of 0.66 km: 0.6 km in Ocna Sibiului and 0.06 km in Făgăraș. An additional 1.43 km of the Făgăraș sewerage network has been renovated.
A waste water treatment plant and discharge pipes
A new waste water treatment plant has been built at Ocna Sibiului, while discharge pipes totalling 0.07 km in length have been laid. This piping includes 0.05 km in Ocna Sibiului and 0.02 km in Făgăraș.
The project also included the acquisition of a new supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. This is a software and hardware system that allows local or remote control of processes, monitoring, gathering and processing of real-time data, and logging of events.
Almost all of the work under the project was carried out in the first phase, which had a total budget of almost EUR 86.5 million, of which more than EUR 76 million was provided by the EU’s Cohesion Fund. The overall budget for the second phase was near EUR 4.7 million and of this, close to EUR 2.8 million was supplied through EU funding.
Continuous provision of clean drinking water
The principal objectives of the project include ensuring the continuous provision of clean drinking water for the entire population of the area, which numbers more than 280 000 people. The upgrades are also aimed at reducing losses of water from the drinking water distribution network and infiltration into the sewage system,. In addition, the improvements will cut risks to public health and pollution of the environment due to the uncontrolled discharge of untreated waste water.
Thanks to the work under phase two, 1 311 more people are now connected to the drinking water network. Regarding the waste water collection and treatment element of the project, an additional 4 500 people have access to the system.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Extension and modernisation of water and waste water infrastructure in the Sibiu and Brașov Counties” is EUR 4 695 329, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 2 795 782 through the “Large Infrastructure” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period.