BUCHAREST (Romania), August 22 (SeeNews) – The European Commission said on Tuesday it is providing 66.5 million euro ($78.1 million) from its Cohesion Fund for water infrastructure projects in Romania.
The financial support will be directed to two major projects in Mehedinti and Arad counties, the European Commission said in a press release.
"Every euro invested in the Member States through the cohesion policy matters, and these two projects are a new concrete example of a Europe that cares for the welfare of its citizens. I hope that works will be completed within the deadlines, because such investments co-financed with European money aim to improve living conditions of many Romanians and to protect the environment," Corina Cretu, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, said in a press release.
The EC will invest 39 million euro in Mehedinti county, in southwestern Romania, to finalise work on water distribution and treatment systems, to rehabilitate seven drinking water springs, to build eight storage tanks and to modernise over 200 km of drinking and sewerage network. The project is due to be completed by the end of 2019, providing public water and sewerage services for approximately 140,000 inhabitants in the county.
In Arad county, in western Romania, about 27.5 million euro are allocated for works to extend the water distribution network and for the modernization of six waste water treatment plants for the benefit of approximately 253,000 inhabitants.
Both projects started during the 2007-2013 budget exercise and have so far benefited from a total Cohesion Fund co-financing of 86.8 million euro.
($= 0.8517 euro)