BUCHAREST (Romania), September 22 (SeeNews) – The European Commission said on Friday it is providing 129 million euro ($154 million) to Romania to improve access to drinking water
The financial support will be directed to six major projects in Hunedoara, Valcea, Brasov, Bacau, Bistrita-Nasaud and Tulcea counties, the European Commission said in a press release.
"All regions should have access to clean water, but in Romania and other regions of Europe, this is not yet fully achieved. Thanks to these EU-funded projects, hundreds of thousands of Romanians will benefit from drinking water every day," Corina Cretu, European Commissioner for regional policy, said.
The Commission will invest 60.7 million euro in Hunedoara county, in western Romania, to connect 110,000 inhabitants of the Jiu Valley area to a modern water distribution and treatment network.
A further 18.5 million euro will go for the extension and/or refurbishment of drinking water infrastructure in Valcea county, southwestern Romania.
Some 17.4 million euro will help connect approximately 380,000 people to a modern water distribution and sewerage network in Brasov county, central Romania.
In the northeastern Bacau county, the Commission will invest 15.7 million euro to improve the sewage treatment system.
Access to clean water for more than 155,000 inhabitants in Bistrita-Nasaud, northwestern Romania will be improved through an 8.6 million euro investment.
Finally, some 8.2 million euro will be granted to Tulcea county, southeastern Romania, to support water quality improvement and better environmental protection in the vicinity of the Danube Delta, which is part of UNESCO World Heritage.
Earlier in September, the Commission said it is providing 155 million euro to Romania to finance projects for modernization of water infrastructure in other six counties - Arges, Dambovita, Maramures, Prahova, Satu Mare and Vaslui.
($= 0.8339 euro)