Water metering issues in focus of meeting between Agriculture Ministry, experts
Set to run between 2021-2024, the EU4Environment programme - a continuation of the EUWI+ - seeks to contribute to “EaP countries’ longer-term environmental, climate, and socio-economic resilience” with a budget of €12,75 million. Photo: euneighbours.eu
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Water metering challenges in Georgia and the identification of the needs within the European Union programme EU4Environment – Water Resources and Environmental Data were discussed during a meeting between the Agriculture Ministry, parties involved in the programme and experts on Thursday.
The launch of the implementation of “large-scale reforms” in water resources management through the EU supported projects was also noted at the meeting, with the parties highlighting the Water Resources Management bill, currently considered by the country’s legislative body, the Agriculture Ministry said.
Photo: Georgian Agriculture Ministry
The bill introduces a river basin management system, which would see Georgia’s water management be divided into river basins and large rivers, Nino Tandilashvili, the Deputy Agriculture Minister, said on Wednesday during a review of the draft.
Drafted within the EU Water Initiative Plus for the Eastern Partnership (EUWI+ 4 EaP) programme, the move seeks to restore the water use permit system, with the expansion of state monitoring of qualitative and quantitative indicators of water resources.
The EUWI+ unified six countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, which aimed to bring legislation of the states closer to the EU policy in water management, with a total budget of €24.8 million.
Set to run between 2021-2024, the EU4Environment programme - a continuation of the EUWI+ - seeks to contribute to “EaP countries’ longer-term environmental, climate, and socio-economic resilience” with a budget of €12,75 million.
Spanish water management company Aqualia has invested $180 million by purchasing 80 percent of Georgian Water and Power, a leading company on the water supply market of Georgia and South Caucasus.
The European Union (EU) has provided €7.15 million to modernise the water supply and sanitation systems in Khashuri municipality of Georgia through the French development Agency (AFD). A grant financing agreement was signed today.
A new wastewater treatment plant has been opened in Telavi in Georgia’s wine region of Kakheti, in which 16.9 million GEL was invested, announces the Municipal Development Fund of Georgia. The project was implemented by the Municipal Development Fund with financial support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the World Bank.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $150 million in loans to improve water supply and sanitation services in Georgia. Furthermore, under the Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Development Program, ADB will provide a $130 million policy-based loan and a $20 million project loan.
Representatives of the European Union and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation visited the Dmanisi Cattle Breeding Station in southeastern Georgia to observe the facility that received a grant of 462,000 GEL ($15,049/€13,848) to upgrade its machinery and equipment, EU in Georgia said on Friday.
Japan has allocated over $920,000 to the United Nations Development Programme in Georgia for supporting the country’s “sustainable and climate-friendly” forest management, the UNDP’s Georgian office announced on Thursday.
The German state development bank KfW has allocated €55 million to support modern water infrastructure in Georgia's Black Sea city of Batumi, the German Embassy in Tbilisi announced on Tuesday.
Cooperation between Georgia and France in agriculture was in the focus of a meeting between Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Agriculture Minister, and his French colleague Marc Fesneau on Thursday.