Swiss Water and Sanitation Project in the Republic of Moldova (ApaSan) Phase 1
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Scaling-up of replicable models for decentralized rural water supply and sanitation services delivery and management introduced by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
SDC's assistance to Moldova started in 2000 primarily through humanitarian aid projects. The support focussed on infrastructure interventions, mainly in the water supply sector in rural areas to the area of maternal and child health. In 2005, SDC’s Department for Cooperation with Eastern Europe and CIS took over the strategic management of the programme whilst maintaining the existing humanitarian activities. So far the WatSan activities focused on 6 districts in the West of the country. All rehabilitated and built drinking water systems use sources that are tested and protected and do not need pre-treatment. 14 water supply systems with household connections and 8 systems with communal distribution points serving more than 23,000 beneficiaries have been completed so far. Furthermore, 24 toilet blocks for schools with more than 13,000 pupils were constructed, and dry toilet models (Ecosan type) including wastewater treatment were installed in some further schools. In addition, more than 32,000 people received hygiene education regarding health issues linked to the consumption of bad quality water. Up to now, SDC's local coordination office has directly implemented the project. As the humanitarian intervention reached its end in 2008, the project is transferred to and managed by Skat since December 2008. The following strategic orientation is given to the project:
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New WatSan Project Implementation 02.04.2009Skat takes over SDC's Water and Sanitation Project in the Republic of Moldova.
In a competitive tender procedure in 2008, Skat has been selected as the new implementer of the Swiss Water and Sanitation Project (ApaSan) conducted and financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in the Republic of Moldova since 2001. In its new phase, the project aims at scaling-up replicable models for decentralized rural water supply and sanitation services delivery and management introduced by SDC over the past years. After a clarification mission to Moldova performed in November 2008, Skat was contracted by SDC for a start-up phase over 5 months (01.12.08 - 30.04.09) in order to implement the transition and administrative change, as well as to conduct a detailed sector surveys, team / partnership building and final project document / budget elaboration. In consultation with the project's key stakeholders and partners, a draft ProDoc has been elaborated and submitted to SDC during a mission of Skat's project management team (Roger Schmid and Agnès Montangero) to Moldova, March 9th to 18th, 2009. For further information, see the ApaSan Project description. |
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SDC and Moldovan Ministry of Environment Sign Memorandum of Understanding 22.02.2010
For the implementation of the ApaSan project, the Swiss Government’s contribution to Moldova, provided through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, SDC, encompasses both the provision of international expertise and a financial support of CHF 4 million, or 47,877 million converted into local currency. The Austrian Development Agency is co-funding the project with an amount of Euro 1.2 million (MDL 21,060 million) . The ApaSan project implementation in Moldova is managed by the SKAT foundation, an offshoot of the Swiss Resource Center and Consultancies for Development.
Opening the meeting, the Minister of Environment, Georghe Salaru, expressed thanks for the Swiss contribution in meeting the environmental challenges of Moldova. “The first stage of cooperation, which started in 2009, has already brought concrete results in villages. We gladly join up the project’s noble goal to secure access to drinking water in a sustainable way, and to create environmental sanitation facilities of European standards for rural residents”, the Minister Salaru said. “Moldova is a warm country, yet with numerous problems linked to water and sanitation,” he added. According to the latest official statistics, out of the 2 million people living in rural areas of Moldova, 80% have no access to safe drinking water and to adequate sanitation.
Referring to the entered engagements, the Minister of Environment pledged to contribute with timely release of the legal and regulatory acts, to promote national dialogue between the central authorities and the civil society, and, as important, to facilitate cooperation between the development partners through the practical functioning of the Coordination Council.
In response to the Minister’s statement, Georgette Bruchez, SCO Country Director, pointed out that the Water and Health domains are the two main pillars of the Swiss Cooperation Strategy with Moldova for 2010-2013. “We really appreciate all the encouraging words extended to us. We’ve seen great motivation from those who work here, in the Ministry of Environment,” Mrs. Bruchez noted.
As representative of the SDC Headquarters in Bern, Veronique Hulmann, Head of the CIS Division, shared her thoughts on her first visit to Moldova. “I had the opportunity to see the project results in villages and I saw the needs and the difficult lives of people. I’m happy that many of them have got better conditions and standards of quality. For the time being, the project covers a limited zone and we hope that, in cooperation with the Government of Moldova, it will be possible to expand activities to include a greater number of localities. I am positive that the potential and the energy of the Moldovan people will push the country forward. You may regard me as an Ambassador of your country’s needs in Switzerland,” Mrs. Hulmann said.
From 2001 till 2009, the SDC Water and Sanitation Programme in Moldova focused its activities in the rural area of four raions located in the central part of the country (Hincesti, Straseni, Nisporeni and Ialoveni) building 19 water supply systems for 25 thousand citizens, 23 septic tank toilets and eight EcoSan sanitation facilities, and four constructed wetlands (ecological waste water treatment plants) for social institutions.
