Development of a Project Document for the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions for Wastewater Treatment in two Rural Areas in the Drin River Basin

In February 2022, SHUKALB has become part of the project titled “Development of a Project Document for the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions for Wastewater Treatment in two Rural Areas in the Drin River Basin”. The project is implemented in the framework of the “Promoting the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in South-eastern Europe, through the use of the Nexus approach” Project, by the Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean (GWP-Med) in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).

The objective of the project is to prepare a full Project Document for the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions for Wastewater Treatment in two small/ medium settlements in the Drin River Basin, which will also be exploring synergies for nutrient recovery, energy extraction and water reuse. The Project will be implemented in 2 pilot settlements, one in Albania and one in Kosovo.

In this activity, SHUKALB is working in partnership with Italian Company IRIDRA, specialized in the design and implementation of such wastewater treatment technologies, as well as with the BOKU University of Natural Sciences in Vienna, Austria.

Nature Based Solutions for Wastewater Treatment consist in the use of wetlands, ponds and lagoons, and soil infiltration process for treatment of wastewater. They are suitable in particular for small areas and can go up to 10,000 PE. Their advantages consist in low investment costs, as well as low energy consumption and overall operation and maintenance costs, while still reaching the effluent quality as required by EU standards.[:]