On 31 May, GIZ Moldova Country Director Dr Siegmund Müller, accompanied by representatives of the GIZ project ‘Modernisation of Local Public Services in the Republic of Moldova’ (MLPS), carried out a working visit to Comrat municipality and met with partners to discuss the results of cooperation to date but also further needs of the region and opportunities within new GIZ projects.

For this, the GIZ team met in Comrat with Ms. Irina Vlah, the Governor of ATU Gagauzia. Through projects implemented in the Republic of Moldova, GIZ provides institutional support to the authorities in attracting foreign investment, promoting regional development, the export of Gagauz goods, developing the Valkanes Free Economic Zone and subzones in Comrat and Ceadir-Lunga, providing the population with high quality drinking water, and several other significant infrastructure and education projects. “You are investing in the future of Gagauzia and we are deeply grateful to GIZ Moldova and the German government for this systematic support” said Irina Vlah.

A meeting with the first Deputy Mayor of Comrat, Gheorghe Sari, and Ms. Tatiana Slavioglo, municipal enterprise ‘Su-Canal Comrat’ administrator, was held in the Comrat City Hall. The Deputy Mayor thanked GIZ MLPS project for support provided in modernisation of ‘Su-Canal Comrat’. Dr Müller noted that the authorities in Comrat and Gagauzia in general are open to cooperation and GIZ is ready to provide expert and other support to address issues related to quality water provision and creation of water supply and sanitation systems.

To mention as well, that a delegation of water management experts from ATU Gagauzia recently returned from a study visit to Germany, organised by MLPS. The purpose of the visit was to get acquainted with the design, construction and operation of water supply and wastewater treatment plants based on different technologies, as well as to exchange experience with German peers. The participants present at the meeting at the Comrat City Hall shared their impressions of the trip and noted that the joint work with GIZ Moldova experts was very useful and productive.

MLPS is providing support to the water operators in several municipalities and towns in Moldova, including to ‘Su-Canal Comrat’. There, for almost one year, a German expert, Dr Volker Hettler, has been integrated in the staff structure. The task of the expert was standing advice for improving the quality of the water supply and sanitation services, support, and consultation in the process of expanding the services of the sewage system, and, in the process of the design and construction of wastewater treatment plant in Comrat.

As result of the needs identified by the integrated expert, in 2022 GIZ procured equipment for the autonomous operation of pumping system, but also IT equipment and a set of equipment for the emergency unit of ‘Su-Canal Comrat’ – pressure cleaner, hole punchers, electric welding units, hand tool set, industrial vacuum cleaner, leak detector etc. The value of the equipment procured and donated is over 280,000 MDL.

At the end of the day, the GIZ team had the opportunity to visit the water pumping station in Cioc Maidan, 23 km away from Comrat, where the equipment for the autonomous operation of pumping system was installed and now is fully functional. Now, with just one click, the operators can see how the pumps are working, identify any malfunctions, and quickly respond.

The technical and financial support to ‘Su-Canal Comrat’ was provided in the framework of the GIZ “Modernisation of local public services in the Republic of Moldova” project and was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).