Integrated Sanitation and Stormwater Management Strategy for Greater Tirana Presented at Validation and Closing Workshop

On 21 July 2026, representatives of national and local institutions, water utilities, international financial institutions, academia, development partners and sector experts gathered in Tirana for the Validation and Closing Workshop of the Integrated Sanitation and Stormwater Management Strategy for Greater Tirana. The event marked the conclusion of a strategic planning initiative aimed at shaping the future of wastewater, sanitation and stormwater management across the municipalities of Tirana, Kamza and Vora.

The project is financed by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented by AKUK, with technical support from ECOPSIS, E.B.S. Shpk and Eawag. SHUKALB supported the initiative through stakeholder engagement activities, contributing to an inclusive consultation process with key sector actors.

Organized under the leadership of the National Water Supply and Sewerage Agency (AKUK), the workshop brought together 42 participants to review the Strategy’s vision, key findings and recommendations before its final endorsement. Opening remarks were delivered by Ermal Murati, General Director of Infrastructure and Territorial Policies and Development at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, and Philipp Arnold, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Switzerland in Albania.

During the workshop, the consulting teams presented the Strategy’s integrated approach to addressing sanitation and stormwater challenges across Greater Tirana. Discussions focused on wastewater infrastructure investments, centralized and decentralized sanitation systems, faecal sludge management, urban stormwater and flood management, institutional reforms, capacity strengthening needs, investment priorities and the next steps toward developing the regional masterplan.

The Strategy provides a long-term roadmap for improving sanitation services in Greater Tirana, an area currently home to approximately one million inhabitants. While nearly all residents connected to the sewerage network are served through a combined sewer system, wastewater is still discharged untreated into the Lana and Tirana rivers. At the same time, a significant share of the peri-urban population relies on on-site sanitation systems with limited sludge management services. Addressing these challenges is essential as Albania continues its alignment with the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and other European environmental requirements.

Developed under the Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) approach, the Strategy combines technical, institutional and regulatory measures to guide future investments and improve services in both sewered and non-sewered areas. It integrates two complementary work streams: centralized wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure, including hydraulic modelling, wastewater treatment plants and stormwater management; and decentralized sanitation solutions, including faecal sludge management and service models for areas where connection to the central sewerage system is not economically feasible.

Key recommendations include the phased construction of wastewater treatment plants serving Greater Tirana, together with new trunk sewer mains and combined sewer overflow infrastructure to reduce pollution and improve stormwater management during heavy rainfall events. Advanced hydraulic and flood modelling has also identified areas vulnerable to urban flooding, supporting future infrastructure planning and climate resilience measures.

The Strategy also highlights the importance of effective governance, clear institutional responsibilities and sustainable service delivery models for decentralized sanitation systems. It recommends strengthening the regulatory framework, establishing a national georeferenced register of individual sanitation systems, and improving monitoring and compliance mechanisms in line with the revised EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.

The proposed investment program extends to 2055 and combines major infrastructure projects with institutional reforms, capacity development, tariff improvements and public awareness initiatives. By integrating engineering solutions with governance improvements, the Strategy aims to establish a coordinated, resilient and environmentally sustainable sanitation system capable of meeting the needs of a growing metropolitan area.