Riga’s peripheries are still not fully connected to centralized water supply

That is why the local government is extending the deadline for co-financing in order to allow residents to perform the necessary adjustments

Riga is a modern European capital but some districts in its periphery bordering the river have not yet been connected to the new centralized sewerage system in the city. Part of the reason behind these delays are the restrictive measures imposed over the last year to stave off the coronavirus pandemic.

For that reason, the City Council has decided to extend the co-financing aid to residents who choose to perform their own technical plumbing adjustments in order to get connected to the central system.

The construction of the connections was initially set to be finalized by 31 March 2021, but this will not be possible anymore, so the new deadline is 31 October 2022, thus giving residents another year and a half to do the adjustments.

Less than half of the households in the 3 affected districts are enjoying centralized water supply

This is just one step of an overall larger EU-backed project (with framework 1995-2025) aiming at modernization of the water infrastructure of the Latvian capital. And this step itself is an amendment to the fourth phase of the project which saw the construction of a new water treatment plant in the Baltezers district and the provision of running water and wastewater canalization to the districts of Marupe, Katlakalns and Bolderaja,  which are located in the suburban peripheries of Riga.

This phase has ensured that these vital urban services became available to 6000 inhabitants (for the sewerage) and 4200 inhabitants (for the water supply). The Covid state of emergency, however, has slowed down the work of the residents, many of whom live in houses or low-rise buildings, and at the start of this year, only 47.6% had made the necessary adjustments.

"We have also discussed other obstacles why residents do not use the opportunity to connect to safe, cheap and environmentally friendly wastewater treatment offered by Riga water. Therefore, we plan to meet in the field of communication in cooperation with the Housing and Environment Department and Riga House Manager," assured Edmunds Cepurītis, Chairman of the Environment Committee.

The extension of the construction deadline has also meant that the deadline for applying for co-financing to the Municipality has also been extended until 31 December 2022.