EU SUPPORT TO

INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT

A MECHANISM TO

COORDINATE, IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR

THE WATER SECTOR REFORM

IN ALBANIA

Martin WOLFF . Team Leader EUSIWM . Austrian Development Agency EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORT TO INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT IN ALBANIA

The EUSIWM_2018_2021, aims to enhance the implementation of the National Water Sector Reform Agenda in Albania, and to assist the relevant competent authorities in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) requirements, including the preparation of a country wide WFD Roadmap and the implementation of the Initial Elements of WFD compliant River Basins Management Plans (RBMP) for the Ishem – Erzen & Mati River Basins. The four Major Project Activities comprise:

I. Harmonisation of water management legislation with specific focus on the Water Framework Directive

II. Initial Elements of WFD compliant River Basins Management Plans

III.Capacity Building and Integrated Training Programme

IV. Establishment of the Cost Recovery & Polluter Pays principles for water use (WFD Art. 5) at river basin level – as precondition / incentive to improve the quality of the water services and an additional driving force in the process of reform of the water management sector in Albania. TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT APPROACH IN ALBANIA

The EUSIWM aims to follow-up previous work in the water sector, to reinforce the established River Basin Management Planning Framework in order to make it more effective towards meeting EU accession requirements for the water sector

• Major emphasis will be put on the programmatic approach, to ensure a true policy-based budgeting, proper monitoring of policy-objectives, solid justification of public investments and effective accountability of budget-holders.

•In the absence of an effective river basin based water management approach a true integrated management of water resources cannot be put into practice.

The consensus about the modalities on the objectives of the INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT (IWM) AGENDA among the key water sector stakeholders in the country is essential,

• to achieve EU environmental acquis (Chapter 27) objectives

• to implement the WFD requirements and

• to create (among others) the framework conditions for the successful management and operation of sustainable water service providers (WSP) at a country wide scale.

Lessons Learnt shall be put to Optimal Use

Key recommendation: central and local government institutions will need to improve cooperation / coordination between the relevant sector institutions - to enable the establishment of an

INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT (IWM) AGENDA

Effective implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in Albania and the successful preparation of river basin management plans (RBMPs) simply will not become a reality without effective coordination.

In particular, with regard to COST RECOVERY of water use at river basin level the Competent Water Management Authorities shall ensure that the budgetary framework and economic analysis for water extraction and water use at basin level is improved in line with WFD principles, and that the tariff structure is reviewed and enforceable. THE WATER SECTOR REFORM CHALLENGE IN ALBANIA

IWM principles require the national water sector institutions

• to link the river basin management planning (i.e. vehicle for implementation of WFD) with the development and management of sustainable water and wastewater service providers under a common framework and

• to better integrate the drinking water resources protection considerations into river basin management planning (WFD Art. 7 Water used for the abstraction of drinking water)

The coherence of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) with the Drinking Water Directive (DWD) is especially important as the protection of drinking water resources is established as indispensable part of the plans and measures under the WFD

 RELATIVE SCOPE OF WFD AND DWD / WATER SAFETY PLANS RELATIVE SCOPE OF WFD AND DWD / WATER SAFETY PLANS

Source: European Commission, DG Environment; Workshop - Rome, 1 Oct 14, The Water Framework Directive and drinking water protection (WFD) RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLANNING & IMPLEMENTATION OF URBAN WASTEWATER TREATMENT DIRECTIVE (UWWTD)

list of agglom eration s sensitive areas WATER AND WASTE Delineating EU catchment load WATER areas UWWTD generated SERVICE RIVER BASIN PROVIDERS permitting collection MANAGEMENT procedure systems, treatment PLANNING level RIVER BASIN ORGANISATION

DRIN-BUNA DRIN-BUNA ARBO RBC

MATI RBC

MATI-ISHËM- ISHËM RBC ERZEN ARBO ERZENI RBC SHKUMBIN- SHKUMBINI SEMAN ARBO RBC SEMANI RBC VJOSA ARBO VJOSA RBC MATI RIVER BASIN

Total surface area of the basin = 2.993 km². The basin consists of the two main rivers, Fan and Mat. The catchment for Mati river is = 2445 km2, total length 144km average elevation above sea level 746 m. Fani river is made of the two main tributaries Fan i Madh and Fan i Vogel. Fan i Madh has a catchment of 540 km2 and is 77 km long. Fan i vogel has a catchment area of 415 km2 and is 55 km long. ISHEM ERZEN RIVER BASIN

Total surface area of the basin = 1.439 km². The basin consists of the two main rivers, Ishem and Erzen. The watershed for Erzen = 760 km2, total length 110 km average elevation above sea level 440 m. Ishem river is part of the river basin, with a total annual discharge volume of 660 million m3. The Ishem river has a high importance as it crosses the center of Albania, i.e. Tirana, the most urbanized area.

WFD Implementation in Albania

IN GENERAL TERMS THE WFD ASKS THREE CONCEPTUAL QUESTIONS (AND TO BE ANSWERED FOR RIVER BASINS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME)

What is the present situation regarding Prepare BASE-LINE LEGISLATION, STATUS on water quality, DESCRIPTION of river basins RESOURCES and PRESSURES from WFD Art.5 (Characteristics), Annex II society?

Where do we want to go and what shall be Prepare PLAN and OBJECTIVES achieved in the future? to be achieved WFD Art.4 (Env. Obj.) , Art. 8 (Monitoring), Annex V

How to reach the planned OBJECTIVES Prepare PROGRAMME of MEASURES, and expected achievements? budgets for implementation and ENFORCEMENT activities

WFD Art. 11 (PoM), Annex VI WFD Art. 13 (RBMP), Annex VII Framework for Preparation of River Basin Management Plan

EU Acquis Legislation Chapter 27 Development Environment - ON

EU Water Administrative Framework Capacity Directive Building RESOURCES MANAGEMENT Plans 08.02.2018 6 of

° WATER N River Basin Management Resources for Investment Investment Planning National Strategy for I ntegratedWater Resources Management LAW No. 111/ 2012 date onthe Adopted 15.11.2012 and amended as Law the by INTEGRATED INTEGRATED Measures Towards Effective River Basin Management

Common framework for WFD_RBM implementation in Albania

• Ownership: implementation shall fit in sector strategies and policies at country level

• Enhanced cooperation of ALL stakeholders

Effective RBMP requires combination of ALL the following

• Continuous monitoring and data collection

• Updated Registers (databases) of ALL abstraction and pollution points

• Informative GIS based maps and ‘decision tools’

• Good knowledge of local activities in the river basin

• Good technical evaluation of Measures and setting of Permit criteria

• Proper Register of Permits – (criteria must be measurable)

• Inspection & Enforcement

• Proper enforcement of the LAW through Permits CORE OF A RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN

IDENTIFY ASSESS ENFORCEMENT PRESSURES STATUS

Collect data WFD “No Are Abstractions deterioration” • waterbodies Yes Discharges • of • Constructions Requires ACTIVE ‘GOOD management • STATUS’? Mining/agriculture through PERMITS

No MAINTAIN REGISTERS CONSIDER RBMP 6 YEARS SOLUTIONS • Water quality • Abstractions Analyse causes • Discharges Set priorities and targets • Constructions Consult and implement • PROGRAMME OF Mining/agriculture MEASURES ESTABLISHMENT OF WFD EXPERT GROUPS

Need to establish / re-enforce a RBM Expert Group for the management & supervision of all on-going WFD - RBM implementation projects in the country in order to ensure a better understanding, knowledge/information sharing and access to the various (somehow separately implemented) projects

Eventually – what will start as project based WFD Expert Groups shall be transformed into a WFD Implementation Unit - and it shall ideally be an integral part of the AMBU Management Structure. AMBU / AWRM ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE Central Level Coordination

To strengthen central level coordination and establish an Integrated Water Resource Management Agenda at the National level - under the lead of the AMBU

=> This includes strengthening the operational modus of the National Water Council

 Central Agencies should research the economic case for consolidating water service providers (WSPs) to realize economies of scale, thereby improving service delivery efficiencies, lower unit costs

 Should be a pooling of resources around catchment areas so that economies of scale can be realized and financial sustainability of WSP’s enhanced Investment Planning for water service providers (WSP)

At the moment WSP’s investment planning preparations are not enough rigorous:

 Generally, the WSP’s prepare investment plans in one of two main ways:

 ‘Wish lists’ which are not always supported by rigorous feasibility studies;

 Fully fledged feasibility studies (FS) sponsored by development partners such as the EU, EIB, KfW or the World Bank.

 The FS have been mainly focused on high cost wastewater collection and treatment investments, formulated without clear water resource management policy

 The ‘wish list’ approach is not sufficiently precise and may include projects which are not the best from amongst alternatives, or may be considered redundant. The ‘wish list’ approach should be phased out.

Significant new investments must be subject to rigorous FS - incorporated into the overarching water resource management policy framework. Sector Working Group (SWG) for WATER

In support to the integrated approach there is a clear need to streamline the decision-making process through Sector Working Groups (SWG’s). The water agenda is under the Environmental SWG which operates under a common coordination framework and which provide vehicles for:

 Sector policy dialogue and institutional capacity developments;

 EU IPA programme development for infrastructure projects;

 The development of infrastructure investment pipelines;

 Donor coordination mechanisms;

 Sector monitoring modalities for project financing and implementation. Finalization / Adoption of the National Sector Programme (NSP) for Water

The AMBU and the established Key Stakeholder (Sector Working Group) coordination mechanism should facilitate the process of drafting and implementing the governmental policies, and strategic objectives towards approximation with the EU Directives and standards on water. The evolving Integrated Water Management (IWM) framework will then provide an integrated platform to supervise and coordinate the entire cycle of strategic processes required to plan, implement and monitor a National Water Sector Programme (NSP) that shall set out the

 Overall Policy Approach,

 Strategy / Schedule of Measures,

 Budget Required and Sources of Finance,

 Institutional Arrangements and

 Monitoring Process for the water sector and related cross cutting issues. Implementation of the National Sector Programme (NSP) for Water (1)

The National Sector Programme (NSP) as key document for water resource management and investment planning in the Republic of Albania.

 The IWM approach to be adopted by the NWC shall serve as model for the development of environmental infrastructure in urban and rural areas and to link the RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLANNING (i.e. vehicle for implementation of WFD) with the development and management of sustainable WATER AND WASTE WATER SERVICE PROVIDERS under a common framework.

 Through this document, the NWC shall address and guide the policy, operational and investment developments in the water sector for a mid to long-term perspective (i.e. 1st WFD RBM 6-year cycle 2022 – 2027 and 2nd WFD RBM 6-year cycle 2028 – 2033). Implementation of the National Sector Programme (NSP) for Water (2)

A realistic NSP document will integrate existing policies/strategies/plans and will lay the basis for the future sector development - by implementing a new holistic approach based on a shared vision and an integrated perspective.

 Strengthening ownership of national institutions in the water sector;

 Building / enhancing capacities of involved institutions;

 Increasing stakeholder involvement in the decision-making process;

 Facilitating donor coordination / harmonisation by:

 sharing information;

 adopting common systems and procedures;

 adopting joint working arrangements. EU SUPPORT TO

INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT

A MECHANISM TO

COORDINATE, IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR

THE WATER SECTOR REFORM

IN ALBANIA EUSIWM 1 – IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION

Result IMPROVEMENT OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF WATER MANAGEMENT 1 Task No. Tasks/Outputs 1.1 Assessment of the legal framework on national water management regarding the approximation of national legislation with the EU acquis • Prepared recommendation report for gap analyses of the Water Law • Prepared recommendation report for revision of the Water Law and all relevant national documents

1.2 Detailed analysis of the legal framework on water management on basin level • Prepared Legal Gap Analysis Report

1.3 Preparation of an improved draft legal framework and an Implementation Plan for establishing a sound legal framework (IP-LF) for the water management on basin level • Prepared draft text of the Amendments to the Water Law accompanied with Table of Concordance

1.4 Support in Implementing prioritized actions of the IP-LF - for achieving ERs 2 – 4 • Prepared drafts of the related implementing secondary legislation with Table of Concordance • Support of the relevant ministries/institutions in the follow up of the IP-LF EUSIWM 2 – RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT

Result PREPARATION OF WFD RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLANS (RBMPS) 2 Task No. Tasks/Outputs 2.1 Mapping and assessment of past and on-going activities regarding the IWRM in general and WFD RBMPs in particular • Analysis and assessment of the completed and on-going activities • Analysis of documentation in terms of WFD compliance of existing RBMPs

2.2 Preparation of a phased Implementation Plan / WFD Roadmap for achieving full sets of RBMPs for all river basins • Definition of RBMP objectives and preparation of a WFD Roadmap for Albania • Administrative setup for preparation / implementation of WFD RBMPs • Identification of required support & action for WFD RBM implementation • Definition of responsibilities and tasks as well as stakeholder involvement

2.3 Preparation of RBMPs for the two selected RBs (Mati & Ishem/Erzeni) as first step of the WFD Roadmap • Assessment of water resources situation in the RB(s) • Drafting of the RBMPs for the selected RBs, including review of unified data collection, water information system and reporting to EU • Analysis of essential RBMP implementation issues (i.e. available capacities) 2.4 Support of the relevant ministries/institutions in the follow up of the WFD Roadmap 2021 / 2027 (IP-RBMPs) • Guide the AWRM / AMBU and the respective RBCs and RBOs in following up the IP-RBMPs • Provide capacity development through on-the-job training for the implementation of the IP-RBMPs EUSIWM 3 – CAPACITY BUILDING Result Enhancement of the Institutional Capacities 3 Task No. Tasks/Outputs 3.1 Analysis and assessment of the institutional IWRM capacities regarding practical implementation of WFD RBMPs • Analysis of the institutional IWRM framework and capacities at central level • Analysis of the institutional capacities for water management at RB level

3.2 Preparation of a Capacity Development Plan (CDP) for achieving appropriate capacities for each of the six RBs • Preparation of a (WFD) framework for enhanced RBM in Albania • Preparation of a CDP for all RBs

3.3 Implementation of the CDP for the 2 RBs (Mati & Ishem/Erzeni) • Support the relevant ministries/agencies/institutions in the follow up of the implementation of the CDP • Development of a detailed training program for AWRM and the RBOs • Training of RBC/RBO staff and counterpart staff according to the CDP

3.4 Support the establishment of a permanent training platform • Identification and discussion of potential options • Proposing and promoting structures for provision of regular training • Supporting the institutional setup • Development of a detailed training program with specified topics to be addressed EUSIWM 4 – ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

Result Improvement of the budgetary framework 4 (water extraction and water use at basin level)

Task No. Tasks/Outputs

4.1 Analysis and assessment on the budgetary framework of water resources management at basin level • Analysis of existing documents like IWRM Strategy, RBMPs, water cadastre • Analysis of the status on the budgetary framework of WRM at RB level

4.2 Preparation of an Implementation Plan for a budgetary framework (IP-BF) of WRM at River Basin level • Develop a financing strategy for sustainable WRM on RB level • Discuss and agree with stakeholders on adequate budgetary framework for enhanced IWRM/RBM in Albania • Prepare an IP-BF synchronized with the staged enhancement of the RBM according EU WFD requirement

4.3 Support the relevant institutions in the follow up of IP-BF • follow up of IP-BF RBMP POSSIBLE TIMETABLE (2018-2021-2027)

River Networks and Catchment Boundaries Further Research Water Body Coding / Delineation Characterisation Measures Initial Characterisation of surface waters Publish 1st RBD Data Collection Reference conditions for surface waters RBMP Initial Characterisation of groundwater Co-ordination bodies

Analysis of pressures and impacts Publish overview of Water significant water Economic analysis of water use Law management issues enters into Force Register of protected areas 2018 2021 2026 2024 2012 2019 - 2021 2027 Monitoring programmes Location and boundaries of [Annex V] operational; RBDs drafting RBMP works Publish draft RBMP programme Competent Authorities

Administrative provisions Inter-calibration and establish surface water classification systems

Establishment / Implementation / Management of Water Information System (WIS)