OREANDA-NEWS. August 15, 2013. This is provided for by the plan for the rehabilitation under the Millennium Challenge’s Compact program which was approved by the Water Users Associations from Criuleani and Lopatna. The works are starting in September.

This autumn, pipes suction pipes are to be installed, the old equipment of the pumping stations is to be removed, the excavation works are to be carried out, etc. According to representatives of the building companies, rehabilitation works at the pumping stations are going to be continued in the cold spell too as far as there are no specific weather conditions required for them to be fulfilled. In line with the contract signed earlier, Romanian consortium Hidroconstructia & IAMSAT Muntenia is to rehabilitate the irrigation systems in the above places of population within 18 months.

According to the contract, valued at USD8.3 million, the irrigation stations at Lopatna and Criuleani are to be equipped with modern electronic devices, 85% of old pipes are to be replaced by new plastic ones, all hydrants are to be substituted, the pumping station buildings are to be repaired, and mobile water meters have to be installed to measure water consumption. As a result of the rehabilitation, irrigated lands will widen from 50 hectares to 509 ha in Lopatna and from 120 hectares to 760 hectares in Criuleani.

In the meantime, the bids submitted for the rehabilitation of four more irrigation systems on the Dniester River – Jora de Jos (Orhei rayon), Cosnita (Dubasari rayon), Puhaceni and Roscani (Anenii Noi rayon) – are under evaluation. The bids have been submitted by building companies from Romania, Portugal, Israel, Russia and France. Their bids vary from USD 10.5 million to USD 21.7 million. Late July, the tender was announced for the rehabilitation of other three systems on the Prut River – Blindesti (Ungheni rayon), Grozesti (Nisporeni rayon) and Leova Sud (Leova rayon).

The deadline for filing applications expires on September, 30. Rehabilitation of the irrigation systems is being implemented under the Compact program, signed at the beginning of 2010 with the budget of USD 262 million by the government of Moldova on the one hand and the Millennium Challenge Corporation on behalf of the USA government on the other one. These funds are provided by the U.S. to reduce poverty and boost the economy of Moldova as well as to implement projects for investments in roads and irrigation systems rehabilitation and encourage transition of Moldova to modern agriculture.

In particular, implementation of projects on rehabilitation of irrigation systems has been assigned for USD 102 million. This money is meant for rehabilitation of at least 11 irrigation stations in Moldova to irrigate 15,000 hectares.