Bălți's pumping station modernized for €274,000 with Slovak support
The "Decebal" pumping station, which supplies water to approximately 65% of the residents of the municipality of Bălți, is being modernized with support from Slovakia. The investment amounts to 274,000 euros, and the work is expected to be completed by the end of August 2027.
According to the "Apă-Canal-Bălți" Administration, the project "Sustainable Drinking Water for Bălți" aims to enhance the reliability of water supply, reduce energy consumption, and strengthen the resilience of the infrastructure to technical and climate risks.
The outdated equipment will be replaced with energy-efficient ones, and modern management solutions will be implemented.
From the total budget of 274,000 euros, 249,000 euros represent the non-reimbursable funding provided by Slovakia, and 25,000 euros is the local contribution.
The funding is provided with the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation "SlovakAid."
The work on the project has already begun. Slovak technical specialists, together with specialists from Bălți, examined the facility, analyzed the condition of the pumping equipment, operating regimes, technical parameters, energy consumption, control system, and the history of emergency situations.
The technical director of the Regia "Apă-Canal-Bălți", Vitalie Ungureanu, explained the importance of the project by stating that the pumping station operates with outdated equipment. According to him, between 2024 and 2026, approximately 60 malfunctions and emergency shutdowns were recorded, of which over 70% were related to the pumping equipment or the control system.
*The "Decebal" pumping station is one of the largest energy consumers in the water supply infrastructure of the city of Bălți. It consumes approximately 70% of the company's total electricity. Its outdated equipment increases the operator's expenses and the system's sensitivity to rising electricity costs," said Vitalie Ungureanu.
The director of the Slovak Association of Water Supply and Sewerage Companies, Ivana Mahríková, emphasized that the modernization will allow for a reduction in electricity consumption by approximately 30%.
„For Bălți, this means not only reducing the pressure on the operator's budget but also decreasing the carbon footprint of the water supply system. In addition, a reduction in the number of breakdowns and unplanned outages, a decrease in repair and emergency intervention costs, an increase in operational safety, a reduction in the system's dependence on outdated equipment, and an increase in the resilience of the infrastructure to climate and energy risks are expected," said Ivana Mahríková.
Overall, the project provides a comprehensive solution to the problem, from technical audit and design to the installation of new equipment, automation, staff training, and subsequent monitoring of results.
