The Municipality of Himara is considered an important tourist region in Albania with a huge potential for further development. It is located on the Ionian coast of Albania, approx. 140 km southeast of Tirana and borders in the north to Vlora and in the south to Saranda. Several villages are located along the coastal strip and others are settled in the mountainous hinterland of the municipality’s administrative area.
The construction of the water systems of Himara dates back to 1964. The existing water supply systems consist of old networks that cause high rates of water loss and wells with often insufficient capacity to meet increased demand, especially during the summer peak. In addition, there is no systematic waste water collection, except for a partial network in Himara town. This threatens both groundwater and maritime ecosystems and can cause severe problems if more visitors use more water resources.
The Albanian Government seeks to develop long-term concepts for the improvement of the water supply and sewerage infrastructure for the entire area of the Municipality of Himara, with a special focus on the coastal strip. The objective of investments is to ensure improved and sustainable access to safe drinking water at socially acceptable and cost-covering tariffs, adequate sanitation through sewerage disposal, and improved management capacities.
To support these efforts, WBIF allocated a technical assistance grant for the preparation of a Detailed Design and Tender Dossier to enable the implementation of investments.
