The Chisinau water supplied requested that the water supply and sewerage tariffs should be adjusted. For household users, the tariffs are to rise from 9.19 lei to 11.75 lei per cubic meter of water, while for business entities from 22.96 lei to 25.52 lei. After the ordinary Monday’s meeting of officials of Chisinau services and subdivisions, SA “Apa-Canal Chisinau” director general Veronica Herta said the tariffs were adjusted last in September 2009 and since then the production costs have increased significantly, IPN reports.

Veronica Herta noted that the largest costs are incurred for electric power, which grew dearer several times. This January the losses of water were assessed at over 18.7 million cubic meters.

The adjustment of tariffs is a condition imposed by the company’s backers – the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank - with which “Apa-Canal Chisinau” signed a contract to the value of €62 million. This money will be used to rehabilitate 205 km of water networks, over 3 000 branch pipes of apartment buildings and about 15 km of sewer pipes. There will also be repaired the Wastewater Treatment Station.

Even if it is raised, the water tariff in Chisinau municipality will remain the lowest in the country. For example, in Ceadar-Lunga a cubic meter of water costs over 32 lei.

The request to adjust the tariffs was transmitted to the National Agency for Energy Regulation, which is to pronounce on the issue.