BUCHAREST (Romania), December 20 (SeeNews) – The European Commission said on Wednesday it is providing a total of 86.6 million euro ($102.5 million) to help Romania improve access to drinking water.
The project, which is financed from the Cohesion Fund, includes the renovation and expansion of the waste water treatment system and the potable water distribution system in 23 communes in Alba county, central Romania, the Commission said in a press release.
Some 106,500 inhabitants will benefit from improved access to drinking water.
"Access to clean water should not be a luxury.
Cohesion policy projects represent, in a concrete way, a Europe that is concerned about the well-being of its citizens and about environment protection," Corina Cretu, European Commissioner for regional policy, said.
The Cohesion Fund concerns 15 member states – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Its funding is allocated to trans-European transport networks and to projects falling under EU environmental priorities.
In November, the EC provided 17 million euro to Romania to improve access to drinking water in Constanta, Ialomita, Gorj, Ilfov and Suceava counties.
($=0.8442 euro)