BERAT, ALBANIA     As part of efforts to improve municipal flood control and water resource management, USAID partner Tetra Tech helped staff from the south-central Albanian municipality of Berat and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) finalize technical design documents for the reconstruction of the Mbreshtani Irrigation and Drainage Canal.

The project is expected to directly benefit over one thousand residents from five villages in Berat by repairing 12.9 kilometers of canals that serve over 252 hectares of arable land used to grow crops. The technical design is required to move forward on budgeting funds for canal reconstruction by TAP - an expected investment of 360,000 Euros (about $400,000); reconstruction efforts are expected to start in the fall.

Tetra Tech also assisted  the eastern Albanian municipality of Fier to finalize an irrigation and drainage action plan, thereby addressing one of this community’s highest priorities. 

Tetra Tech leads USAID's USAID’s Planning and Local Government Project (PLGP) entered into formal partnership agreements with 15 local governments to provide technical assistance and training. In project one area, management of municipal services, USAID assists the local governments to effectively manage and oversee jointly-owned utility companies dealing with services such as water, wastewater, and solid waste management to ensure that laws, policies, procedures, and services are consistent with EU standards and environmental standards in particular. USAID assists selected local governments and water utility supervisory boards in developing skills, defining roles, and building the knowledge needed to effectively manage and oversee jointly owned utility companies dealing with these services.