In Romania, there are still water supply networks with significant losses due to wear

Most water supply systems in Romania still comprise networks that have exceeded their life expectancy and are registering significant losses due to the advanced state of degradation, despite Romania having a 44.5 pct increase of works to extend the drinkable water network, in 2017 as compared to 2008, said, on Monday, Felix Stroe, the chair of the Romanian Water Association (ARA), during a conference organized at the 2019 Danube - Eastern Europe Regional Water Forum. 

"According to the National Institute of Statistics, in Romania, in 2017, 67.5 pct of the population was connected to the public water supply system. There are however large differences between the urban and rural areas. 96.9 pct of the urban resident population is connected to the public water supply system, while in the rural environment the percentage is 33.5 pct. In what regards the extension of drinkable water networks, there have been significant increases annually, 2017 seeing a 44.5 pct increase over 2008. Despite the continuous extension, most supply systems have networks that have exceeded their life expectancy and record significant losses due to the advanced state of wear," Stroe claims. 

The chair of the ARA believes that the costs generated by the implementation of new innovative measures to lead to reducing water losses should be recouped in as short a time as possible. 

The Romanian Water Association is organizing, between September 23 and 25, at the Palace of the Parliament, the 2019 Danube - Eastern Europe Regional Water Forum. 

During the forum a series of events will be organized, such as: The Southeast Europe Regional Conference Water Loss 2019, ExpoApa - the exhibition of specialized equipment and technologies for the water sector (at its 21st edition), the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme 2014-2020 seminar, organized by the ARA in partnership with the Ministry of European Funds, the international economic workshop, organized by ARA in partnership with the International Water Association (IWA) Specialist Group on Statistics and Economics, and in partnership with the National Regulatory Authority for Community Services of Public Utilities (ANRSC). 

The Romanian Water Association promotes policies in the water domain and global strategies in view of reaching durable development objectives.