In January 2019, after analyses showing a chlorine level above the legal limits, Romanian’s Health Minister issued a recommendation for Bucharest residents not to drink tap water from the public water network or use it for cooking or personal hygiene. The ministry added that this recommendation is valid until it gets the final results of the tests carried out on the water in the public network.
In order to improve the circumstances, the Cohesion Fund invests €275.7 million for better drinking water supply and upgraded wastewater collection and treatment services in the Cluj and Sălaj counties, north-west Romania. Thanks to this EU-funded project, almost 240,000 inhabitants will enjoy better drinking water.
The project will increase the local water supply connection rate from 79% to 95%. Works will extend the supply of drinking water using sources that are microbiologically controlled. They also include upgrades at the water treatment plant at Gilău, the rehabilitation of the underground water source Florești in Cluj and the construction or reconstruction of almost 1,550 km of networks. The project should be completed in July 2023.