Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj has said that residents of Astir will receive running water 24 hours a day imminently as the project to construct a new water line is almost complete.
Through a Facebook post, Veliaj announced that the water line would be completed and residents would receive running water around the clock.
But on 15 September 2019, Veliaj made the same promise, noting that Astir will no longer suffer the problem of drinking water supply. He said a dedicated line from the Bovilla plant will bring water directly to the area. He urged citizens not to buy water from other sources as it may not be fit for consumption.
The promise of 24-hour water supply in Tirana has been one of the Mayor’s most repeated promises. In 2017, the Municipality increased the cost of water and justified it by saying that it was necessary to ensure a 24-hour supply.
Three years later, large portions of the city do not have water 24-hours a day and it is not fit for human consumption. Instead, residents must purchase water from shops to use for drinking and cooking.
Civil society organisation Nisma Thurje had conducted analysis on water from 60 sites around the city, finding that only 3 locations provided water that was safe.
The Municipality has previously denied there are water shortages in the city, yet multiple investigations have found that residents the length and breadth of the city are without water for large parts of the day.
