Balluku inspects the works for the new water supply of Shënkolli in Lezhë/ 6 thousand residents benefit from the investment

2024-04-05 17:40:00, Aktualitet CNA

Balluku inspects the works for the new water supply of Shënkolli in

Belinda Balluku

In the administrative unit of Shënkolli in the Municipality of Lezha, investments are being made for the construction of a new water pipeline, which will completely transform the situation of drinking water supply for the residents of the area, simultaneously covering an important part of the coastal area.

There are more than 6,000 residents who benefit from this investment by the Albanian Government, in the entire administrative unit, where the supply situation is currently problematic due to depreciation and the lack of distribution networks.

The Deputy Prime Minister, at the same time the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, together with the Director of AKUK, Klevis Jahaj and the mayor of Lezha, Pjerin Ndreu closely followed the implementation of the project, where currently nearly 80% of the works have been completed.

Director Jahaj announced that the investment being made covers all the needs of the area, also responding to the development in the coastal area. "We have a capacity of 300 liters of water production, which is more than enough to cover the entire area and the part of the development that will continue to take the coastal area as well. There are 5 villages that are covered by the distribution network, which has currently completed the extension to all dwellings with individual boxes and meters. There are about 75 kilometers of distribution line. The transmission line of about 2 kilometers has also been completed," said Jahaj.

The reform undertaken in the water supply and sewerage sector remains an important element for the development of the sector. Aggregation of enterprises has also brought the first positive indicators related to the performance of the sector.

Minister Belinda Balluku referred you to the Directorate of Water-Sewage in Lezhë, taking for comparison the data of the previous year with the current year and where the indicators are clearly distinguished.

"We launched the company about a year ago and the results for 2024 are really impressive. Non-revenue water, as a general technical loss, has decreased from 75% to 66%, compared to a year ago. Such a large percentage difference is indeed commendable. On the other hand, there was also a significant increase in terms of revenue collection. They reached 120% and we always explain what 120% is. It is also the 20% that we collect from what is left over from previous years. So, in addition to liquidating all the invoices consumed during this year, we also collected the debits of the previous year, when the revenue collection was 85%", said Balluku.

The Minister of Infrastructure and Energy placed the emphasis on reducing costs for these directorates, where electricity is undoubtedly the leading one. At this point, Balluku brought as an example Belshin and Memaliaj, two areas where electricity production units have been set up through solar panels used by the water supply, thus significantly reducing costs.

"We have started several pilot projects and I believe in cooperation with the mayor and the administrator, a solution must be found to start and create renewable energy production units that will be used by the water supply. We did this in Belgium and it turned out to be very successful. Even in Memaliaj", underlined Balluku.

Expressing his thanks for the investment that is being made, Mayor Ndreu said that "we are dealing with one of the most touristic areas of Lezha, it is the area of ??Tales and it accesses the entire sea coast mainly this investment and normally greatly improves the quality of vacations, but also of living of the inhabitants".

The water supply of Shënkolli is expected to be in full operation at the beginning of next year./ CNA