ECO H2O – ECOLOGICAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT FOR VISCRI

In October 2010 it was announced that the village of Viscri was to have the first ecological wastewater treatment plant in Romania. The project was co-financed by ROMPETROL as a continuation of the rural development programme initiated by the MET in Viscri. The project’s aim was primarily to improve the living conditions of the community and by pioneering the installation of an ecological wastewater treatment plant the scheme not only preserves the traditional beauty of the village, it achieves this in a manner that is sustainable and causes minimal impact on the surrounding environment. The MET in collaboration with its partners from Germany and Belgium, adapted the system to the particular needs of the village. Involving the creation of three artificial ponds, household wastewater is collected in the first pond and subsequently filtered through the soil aided by the use of aquatic plants. Inherent in the planning of the project was the full involvement of the community in its installation, thus not only providing badly needed employment it ensured the long-term continuity of the scheme.