European Village Program improves water access in rural Moldova
Over 1,500 residents of the village of Cobâlea, Șoldănești district, will have water on tap thanks to a recent infrastructure project. Social institutions in the village have also been connected to the water supply.
Angela Zglavuță from the village of Cobâlea says that she has dreamed of having running water in her house since she was a child, just like in the city. After decades of waiting, her dream has come true.
"We are happy to have water in our yard, so we can wash ourselves and do the dishes. We have been waiting for this project for a long time. The well was far away, and sometimes when it rained, it would fill up with water and we couldn't get any. We had to wait for it to go down before we could drink."
Aurica Ababii says that the well she used to get water from is half a kilometer from her house, and that the water level drops significantly in the summer.
"We used to carry water in buckets, but we also used to carry it in wheelbarrows and barrels. There were many families at the well, and by the time we woke up in the morning to get water, it was gone. If we woke up early, there was water, but later in the day, there was no water at the well. It was very difficult, and the roads were muddy."
The technical project for the supply of drinking water to the village of Cobâlea was initiated by the local authorities in 2016, but due to lack of funding, it could not be implemented. It was only in 2022, after the village became a participant in the "European Village" Program, that it received the necessary funding.
Angela Ababei, the mayor of Cobâlea, Șoldănești district, says that they were able to implement a project worth 7,720,000 lei, which was used to build 12 kilometers of water mains in the village.
"We built 37 wells with hydrants, which also ensures the fire safety of the village. As a result of the implementation of this project, we currently have 250 households connected, or about 1,500 beneficiaries, including social institutions."
To date, 155 localities in the country have successfully implemented projects initiated by the government under the "European Village" Program. These projects mainly focus on the construction or renovation of public buildings, street lighting, and the renovation of water supply systems.
"In the water and sanitation sector, 24 projects have already been completed, which means the construction of over 130 water and sanitation networks in localities in the Republic of Moldova. These 24 completed projects benefit 35,000 citizens of the country who did not previously have access to water sources," said Mihai Croitoru, director of the National Office for Regional and Local Development (ONDRL).
The 155 implemented projects have benefited approximately 200,000 citizens of rural communities. Another 342 projects under the "European Village" Program are currently underway and are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. Around 700 million lei are to be allocated for this purpose.
