The Swiss Confederation confirmed its commitment to support Moldova in implementing innovative models for water supply and sanitation in all the country’s regions. Over the next four years, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) will help carry out projects that will provide access to drinking water of the highest quality for at least 60,000 more persons. A number of schools will be outfitted with EcoSan toilets, IPN reports, quoting a press release from SDC.
Veronique Hulmann, head of SDC Commonwealth of Independent States Division, said they will support these projects because more than 45% of the population, especially in rural areas, has no access to drinking water.
Since 2001 Switzerland invested around €18 million for improving water supply and sanitation in Moldova. As a result, more than 36,000 people from 22 villages were connected to safe drinking water. The hygienic conditions have improved in 18 schools and 140 families thanks to the use of the EcoSan toilets.
Also, four wastewater treatment plants operate in the villages of Cristești, Iurceni, Dragusenii Noi and Negrea, the other three serving the kindergarten in Bratuleni, the elderly house in Sarata Galbena and the women’s prison in Rusca. There are currently eight water supply projects for 14,000 beneficiaries and 23 EcoSan projects in the process of implementation in the districts of Cahul, Leova and Singerei.
Between 2008 and 2012 SDC implemented innovative models for water supply and sanitation: small decentralized water supply systems, EcoSan dry toilets for schools and individual households, and wastewater treatment plants “constructed wetlands”. Such projects have been implemented in the districts of Hincesti, Nisporeni, Ungheni, Straseni and Ialoveni, being co-financed by the Austrian Development Agency, the district councils and the local community members.
