OREANDA-NEWS. March 21, 2014. The loan was issued for 40 years with a 10-year-long grace period at an interest rate of 0.75%. At the closing ceremony, held in Dubosari Vechi, Criuleni, Minister of Economy Gheorghe Salaru thanked the WB team, the team of the Water Supply and Sanitation Project implementation unit headed by Sergiu Gutu and other partners for their help for implementation and successful completion of the project.

The access to potable water and sanitation facilities is essential for a human being, Gheorghe Salaru stressed. As he said, the project was implemented in 2009-2013 and consisted of four components: the urban and the rural ones, enhancement of abilities of the Ministry of Ecology and enhancement of energy efficiency.

Under the urban and energy efficiency component, it has been rehabilitated about 60 kilometres of water pipes; 7.7 kilometres of sewerage pipes, a water treatment facility, 2 pumping stations, 2 wastewater treatment stations and a chlorination station; besides, special equipment has been purchased to maintain and automate the work of the facilities.

Under the rural component, it as been rehabilitated about 150 kilometres of water pipes, drilled 3 artesian wells and rehabilitated 9 ones; repaired 2 pumping stations, bought and installed 4 water towers; installed 9 water treatment tanks, designed, built and installed 3 water treatment stations, etc. The project aimed to broaden access to potable water and to make the water supply and sanitation services more effective in some regions of Moldova. By 2020, the access to potable water supply and sanitation is expected to be provided to about 80% of the Moldovans, Gheorghe Salaru said to InfoMarket.