Chisinau water utility director blames major pipe failure on systemic weariness

Chisinau's districts of Botanica and Buiucani each receive water supply from a single source, and this can have extensive consequences in the event of pipe failures, like it happened over the past weekend when more than 50,000 residents of Botanica were without tap water. Constantin Becciev, the director of the water utility Apa-Canal, told the ordinary City Hall's meeting on Monday that the pipeline has been fixed and water supply has been resumed. However he stressed that major pipe failures can still occur in Buiucani and Botanica at any time because of systemic weariness. The city of Chisinau itself receives water supply from a single pipeline, though rules dictate at least two. Constantin Becciev says that in 2011 failure hazards will diminish, at least in Buiucani and Botanica, after repairs valued at 16 million lei are carried out at the respective pipelines. The reinforced concrete 1200 mm pipeline in Botanica was built in 1978 and is currently in an advanced state of weariness; and so are about 100 kilometers of other pipes administered by Apa-Canal Chisinau.