Romania would need about EUR 10.5 billion to connect all its villages to water supply and sewage, according to Regional Development Minister Liviu Dragnea. So far, 70 percent of rural Romania has been connected to water supply, and only 22 percent to sewage systems, according to him.

Only EUR 1.7 billion out of the total needed to connected rural Romania to water and sewage can come via EU funding, and the rest would be covered from the state budget, or loans. He ruled out the possibility for village administrative authorities to be granted bank loans for such projects.

According to Eurostat, Romania ranks last in the EU on the ratio of population connected to the public water supply.

editor@romania-insider.com