Germany offers €55 mln for water treatment plant in Batumi
German Embassy said €138 million had been spent over more than 16 years on modern water infrastructure in Batumi, as a result of which “even dolphins have been seen from the beach again, which speaks for the improvement of sea water quality”. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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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.
KfW and the Ministry of Finance of Georgia yesterday signed a deal to ensure improved supply of drinking water can be extended for the growing population of the city.
An old drinking water treatment plant will be rehabilitated and adapted to the modern standards and the wastewater treatment plant will be expanded and equipped with sludge treatment and nutrient elimination systems", said the Embassy.
The diplomatic office also said €138 million had been spent over more than 16 years on modern water infrastructure in Batumi, as a result of which “even dolphins have been seen from the beach again, which speaks for the improvement of sea water quality”.
More than 200,000 people who previously had access to drinking water only for a couple of hours a day, are now continuously supplied with hygienically safe drinking water", the release noted.
It also pointed out the construction of a modern sewer system and wastewater treatment plant meant wastewater was now "professionally drained and cleaned", while a new stormwater system and pumping station had significantly reduced the risk of flooding in the city centre.
Up to ₾3 billion ($1.08bln) will be invested in infrastructure development across Georgia next year with the construction of highways remaining a priority, infrastructure minister Irakli Karseladze said on Monday while discussing the next year's state budget.
Georgian Infrastructure Minister Irakli Karseladze announced on Thursday “all cities” of the country would enjoy 24-hour water supply by 2025, with the Government spending ₾9 billion (about $3bln/€2.80bln) for the task.
A total of 1,200 infrastructure projects worth ₾132 million (about $44.75m/€42.50m) are underway in western Georgia's Imereti region, the Ministry of Infrastructure has revealed.
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.
Locals of three villages of eastern Georgia's Kakheti region will enjoy round-the-clock supply of clean water starting in the first half of this year thanks to a ₾7 million ($2.65mln) project being implemented in the locality, the United Water Supply Company of Georgia said on Tuesday.
Peter Fischer, the German Ambassador to Georgia, on Wednesday inspected projects being implemented in western Georgia through development cooperation between the two countries.