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Investments in water supply and sewage systems exceeded 150 million euros in 2025

2026-03-12 15:52:00, Ekonomi CNA

Investments in water supply and sewage systems exceeded 150 million euros in

Investments in the water supply and sewage sector in Albania reached over 150 million euros during 2025, slightly exceeding the annual financing plan.

According to the annual report of the Water Regulatory Authority (WRA), funds of 14.46 billion lek were planned for 2025, while disbursements reached 14.76 billion lek, which represents a realization of 102%.

The majority of the funding came from the state budget. Of the total disbursed investments, around 11.66 billion lek, or 79%, was financed by the Albanian government, while 3.1 billion lek, or around 21%, was covered by foreign donors through agreements with the government.

Investments have been implemented mainly through the National Water Supply and Sewerage Agency (AKUK) and have focused on the construction and rehabilitation of water supply systems, as well as on study, design and supervision contracts.

At a broader level, the portfolio of reported projects includes around 290 infrastructure investments for the period 2019–2025, with a total contract value of around 39.3 billion lek and cumulative financial realization of around 25.5 billion lek.

According to WRA analysis, around 71% of the projects – or 206 investments – are directly related to drinking water supply. In financial terms, these projects represent more than 66% of the total value of contracts, reflecting the priority given to improving access to water and modernizing basic infrastructure.

However, the report notes that, despite the considerable volume of investments, the improvement of the financial indicators of water supply companies remains uneven. According to the WRA, infrastructural interventions, in the absence of parallel reforms in management, increased operational efficiency and improved tariff structure, are not sufficient to guarantee the financial self-sustainability of the sector.

The report also highlights a limited balance between investments in water supply and those in sanitation and wastewater treatment, as well as a territorial fragmentation of interventions. In some cases, projects are not fully linked to the operational and financial capacities of regional water utilities, increasing the risk that infrastructure improvements will not be accompanied by long-term sustainability of the service./ Monitor