ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES – PROGRESS IN WATER, WASTE WATER AND WASTE MANAGEMENT SECTORS

1. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES – PROGRESS IN WATER, WASTE WATER AND WASTE MANAGEMENT SECTORS Ministry of environmental protection and regional development of the republic of Latvia

2. Activities – Development of Water & Wastewater and Waste Services

3. Increase in the availability water supply services during 2007-2013* and perspectives for increasing actual connection rates depending on the availability of EU funding in 2014-2020 • * Progress in agglomerations with PE>2000, where EU co-financed projects are implemented, including achieved results until 30.06.2013 and forecast for remaining years for approved projects.

4. Increase in the availability of wastewater management services during 2007-2013* perspectives for increasing actual connection rates depending on the availability of EU funding in 2014-2020 • * Progress in agglomerations with PE>2000, where EU co-financed projects are implemented, including achieved results until 30.06.2013 and forecast for remaining years for approved projects.

5. Connections to Water & Wastewater Networks Main reasons for low connection rates • Decreased population of agglomerations mostly due to emigration and urbanization • Financial challenges of crisis hit households (low income vs relatively high connection / service fees etc.) • Senior residents not willing to change their habits (use of wells etc.) • In some cases lack of knowledge about the benefits of connecting to centralized networks etc. Perspective solutions • Law on Water Management Services - draft law currently under discussion, 300 comments received so far. If all comments are agreed upon during the official discussion to be held on October 8, the draft law might be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers by the end of October followed by revision by the Committee of National Economy of the Saeima. • The optimistic scenario - the Law is adopted in Jan/Feb 2014, the pessimistic scenario – by the end of 1st half of 2014. Upon entry into force, the Law will establish sectoral regulatory framework, and, possibly, will allow for local support mechanisms / financial incentives for installation of household connections to be introduced on the level of the local governments. • EU Funds programming period 2014 - 2020 – to address the issue of low connection rate, MoEPRD has proposed to allocate part of the funding to be available for development of water services under the 2014-2020 programming period for co-financing household connections.

6. Waste management activities:current situation of waste sorting and recycling • Low current rate of municipal and electronic waste re-use, recycling and recovery; • As a consequence, large volumes of biodegradable waste are disposed in dumpsites. • This is mainly due to inadequate existing waste management system and limited possibilities for efficient collection and sorting of waste, which prevents the successful implementation of the Directive’s requirements. • Supported activities in 2007-2013: development of separated waste collection points, municipal waste sorting sites, composting facilities, waste sorting stations etc.

7. Separate Waste Collection Infrastructure – achieved results in 2004 – 2006 and 2007 – 2013 • Activity “Development of Separate Waste collection system” (3.5.1.2.3) - out of 12 approved projects (2007-2013) by now 7 projects have been completed and the remaining 5 projects are still in progress. • Activities undertaken as part of 2007-2013 complement the results achieved following the programming period 2004-2006.

8. Development of separated waste collection infrastructure in Latvia with EU funding (completed projects, 2004 – 2006 & 2007 -2013)

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