Investments in sewage and wastewater treatment plants will expand Albania's sewerage treatment coverage and elevate public health standards by improving sanitation for the larger population and mitigating the spread of waterborne diseases, fostering a healthier society.

Increased investments in wastewater and sewage treatment facilities will address issue of leaky pipes safeguarding potable water supply and enhance effectiveness of EU-funded infrastructure projects while proactive adaptive measures will ensure the sector's long-term sustainability, fostering climate-resilient water management.

Wastewater and sewage plant investments will reduce the release of wastewater from industrial sites and households, enhancing water and food security and improving public health and overall quality of life.

Wastewater management's environmental impacts depend on chosen technology and methods. Inadequate treatment can cause pollution, soil contamination, and harm aquatic ecosystems (24).

Certain wastewater treatment methods are energy-intensive, potentially raising greenhouse gas emissions. Energy needs, especially in large systems, can create environmental and economic risks (24).

Sludge treatment in wastewater management involves concerns such as heavy metal contamination, disposal, and potential landfill gas emissions, posing health and environmental risks (24).

The water sector in Albania, both nationally and locally has challenges such as deficiencies in the capacity of managerial staff to run utilities efficiently, regulatory framework weaknesses and the absence of comprehensive asset documentation (21).

Aging infrastructure, inadequate investments and poor maintenance, pose risks to service quality and long-term sustainability. Partial rehabilitation of wastewater networks can result in frequent blockages at pumping stations, and lead to flooding (13, 21).

Low household water metering at 45% encourages wastage and complicates billing accuracy. Consumers often dispute norm-based bills, preferring actual usage charges, affecting utility revenues and resource management (21).

The effects of climate change, such as extreme weather events, including floods, can damage infrastructure and lead to the disruption of water supply and hygiene services (1).

Gender inequality and/or marginalization risk: Inadequate gender diversity in the water sector, with few women in technical roles and biased recruitment practices, hinders perspectives, sector potential, and fosters inequalities, limiting workforce effectiveness (36).

Mitigate environmental pollution, improve public health, and support sustainable urban development.

National Strategy of the Water Supply and Sewerage Sector, 2020-2030, 2018; sets specific targets to enhance water and waste management, aiming for 67.8% sewerage system coverage and 60% waste treatment plant coverage by 2030 (13).

National Strategy of Water Resources Integrated Management, 2018-2027, 2018; prioritizes balanced water consumption aligned with EU and national laws, ensuring good water quality, addressing water-related risks for all stakeholders, providing reliable water information through trusted institutions, and optimizing overall water management with a focus on long-term benefits and environmental considerations (28).

National Strategy for Development and European Integration 2022-2030: envisions a reliable nationwide supply for water supply, waste water removal and treatment that meets the needs for economic development while preserving and protecting the environment, and human health and safety (1).

Economic Reform Programme 2022-2024, 2022: includes reform on the water and waste water sector among the key reform measures until 2023, while projecting expenditures for subsidies partially directed to support the water and sanitation sector having reached ALL 1.55 billion (USD 16.3 million) (7).

Financial incentives: The Water Sector Performance and Investment Programme phase V requires an investment of approximately USD 5.38 billion by 2040 to enhance water infrastructure in up to 10 municipalities. The initiative is backed by grants totalling around USD 51.67 million, alongside a KfW loan of about USD 86.02 million. Albania's contribution to the project is approximately USD 6.45 million (29).

Other incentives: The Greater Tirana Sewerage Project, supported by JICA, aims to upgrade the area's sewerage system to reduce Lana River pollution and improve local sanitation and living conditions (30).

Law no. 8102, On the Regulatory Framework of The Water Supply Sector and the Removal and Processing of Wastewaters, 1996: sets rules for water supply in Albania, creates a regulatory agency, and encourages private investments while applying to all water-related activities (14).

Law No.111/2012, On the Integrated Management of Water Resources, 2012; aims to safeguard and enhance the water environment and resources, promoting their responsible utilization, equitable allocation, prevention of contamination, and the creation of necessary central and local institutions to enforce national management and administrative policies (27).

Law no. 125/2013 On Concessions and Public Private Partnership, April 2013 (amended 2019): abolishes the 2006 Law no. 9663 on Concessions, provides that changes in the ownership or the management of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) are subject to the approval of the contracting authority and the Ministry of Finance, unless such changes are due to trading of shares in a regulated capital market (26).

Law No. 9115, On the Environmental Treatment of Polluted Waters, 2003; aims to protect the environment and human health from the negative impacts of polluted waters, establishing environmental treatment regulations and obligations for polluters, addressing urban polluted waters, industrial polluted waters, agricultural land runoff waters, and polluted waters of all kinds (13).

Alba Konstruksion Ltd, Gener 2, Berlin Wasser, AquaMundo, AlbStar, Vatek Environmental Technologies, Ecoplast, Albesol, Tirana Water Company, GPG Company, Sterkaj, Joint Stock Company Water Supply and Sewerage Korce JSC.

Water Resource Management Agency, The National Water Council, Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, Ministry of Tourism and Environment, Ministry of Health, Water Regulatory Authority, Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Water Basin Councils, The National Agency of Water Supply, Sewerage and Waste Infrastructure.

The World Bank, Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), KfW Development Bank, The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), European Investment Bank (EIB), European Environment Agency (EEA), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), UNECE, UNDP, Japan International Cooperation Agency.

EcoAlbania, Sustainable Environment Albania (SEA), The Water Supply and Sewerage Association of Albania (SHUKALB).

In 2002, Berlin Wasser International, with support from KfW Bankengruppe, was granted a concession contract by the Elbasan city as the water provider, which concluded after two years. Subsequently, in 2003, AquaMundo secured a management contract for Kavaja city (37).

Korce constitutes approximately 7.1% of the total population and the wastewater treatment plant serves 85,000 residents with a capacity of 85,000 cubic meters/day. The region exhibited the highest rate for waster and waste water fees nation-wide (38, 39).

The wastewater treatment plant operated in Porto Romano covers an area of 70 hectares serving 250,000 residents and the plant in Lalëz, Hamallaj, covers an area of 1.5 hectares serving an equivalent population of 15,000 residents. However, wastewater collection networks in Durrës city are old, made of concrete pipelines prone to infiltration, lack proper sloping and often become subject to blockages, with substantial volumes of wastewater outflowing to the sea due to poor connection rate (38, 39, 44).

Water supply and sewerage coverage in Tirana reached 96% and 89.7% in 2021. Yet, waste water is discharged to the Lane river without any treatment, despite on going efforts to construct a waste water treatment plant in Kashar through a soft loan provided by JICA. The plant is expected to cover 53 hectares serving 335,880 people (39, 40, 45).

Water supply and sewerage coverage in Vlore was at 90.8% and 63.3% in 2021, with a partially-operational waste water treatment plant, with 42,000 m3/day treatment capacity. Yet despite the existence of the water filtration pant, wastewaters continue to be discharged to the surrounding rivers and the open-sea, as the plant lacks the capacity to treat phosphorus and nitrates (39, 45).

Water supply and sewerage coverage in Pogradec reached 85.5% and 50.3%, respectively, in 2021. The Pogradec Waste water treatment plant, in operation since 2009 serving 50,000 residents, is considered the only plant in the country which treats phosphorus and nitrates, according to European standards (39, 45).