Success Story: Elbasan Transition Plan

Transitioning water services for the future is a critical goal, as evident in a photo of a technical discussion on a transition plan with Elbasan utility staff. PLGP Water Utility Expert Ndriçim Shani facilitates the discussion, highlighting the importance of sound management and use of water. The Planning and Local Governance Project (PLGP) is a key initiative in establishing a strong foundation for cleaner, safer, and more accessible public water in Albania. The project is a partnership between the PLGP and the Municipality of Elbasan, aiming to restructure the delivery of municipal water and wastewater services. The city of Elbasan, like all Albanian cities, recently merged with its surrounding local governments, bringing opportunities but also complexities. Prior to the merger, the city's residents were served by a single water utility. However, the newly consolidated Elbasan, with a population of 200,000, including over 80,000 new residents, is now served by two public water utilities, as well as direct services from local governments that existed independently before the merger. Additionally, five percent of the population is self-supplied, and 19 percent of the total population receives no water or wastewater services. According to Albania's National Water Sector Strategy, multiple water and wastewater service providers should be combined into a single utility. This is a significant challenge, both financially and organizationally, as much of the infrastructure is in need of costly replacement or repair, and organizational challenges arise in creating a single utility that encompasses both planning and execution. To address these challenges, the PLGP and Elbasan officials collaborated to develop a Water Services Transition Plan. The five-year plan is a coherent framework for establishing a single, aggregated utility with expanded, reliable, and high-quality service that complies with European Union health and environmental standards. The plan includes practical tools for strategic planning, financial management, administration, human resources, regulatory compliance, capital investment, customer service delivery, progress monitoring, and outcome evaluation. A financial model is also included, beginning with water demand and finishing with the tariff proposed for each year of the transition plan. Annual performance information is used to inform decision-making. PLGP Water Utility Expert Ndriçim Shani notes that the reorganization of water utilities is a complex and difficult effort, but the developed plan provides a step-by-step guide for ensuring an orderly transition for the municipality and its customers. Elbasan's Mayor Qazim Sejdini expresses optimism about the transition plan, stating that its implementation will help improve the quality of water services throughout the city. He believes that soon Elbasan will have 24-hour-per-day water service. The Elbasan Transition Plan is the first of its kind in Albania, serving as a model of integrated territorial cooperation and detailing an important decision-making process, not only for Elbasan but also for other Albanian municipalities to reference in the mandatory restructuring of their water delivery systems.