Funds to consolidate the national hydrotechnical system
The Romanian government has increased the funds for ‘Romanian Waters’ National Administration, and part of the money is being allocated to the endangered Praid salt mine.
Ştefan Stoica, 13.06.2025, 14:00
The interim government in Bucharest has approved the increase by 55% in the budget of the National Administration “Romanian Waters”. The funds will allow, among other things, essential investments in the maintenance and modernization of dams, dikes and water discharge equipment, so they will be used to consolidate the hydrotechnical infrastructure and modernize the national water management system. The budget of the National Administration “Romanian Waters” will practically amount to over 4 billion lei, about 800 million Euros.
The Minister of Environment, Water and Forests, Mircea Fechet, stated that 3.1 million lei, or 600,000 Euros, will be allocated to the works that are necessary in the Praid salt mine area, in the center of the country, recently flooded following torrential rains and thus becoming an area of ecological risk, with serious economic implications. According to Minister Fechet, the money will go to the feasibility study, technical design and execution of works to attenuate possible floods. The so-called holders designed to be installed upstream are to reduce the maximum flow in the future to 35 cubic meters per second.
Meanwhile, salinity has increased worryingly in the Târnava Mică River, so the decision was made to cut off drinking water in several localities in Mureş County. Initially, large pieces of the ceiling of the old salt mine collapsed, and the displaced water spilled into the Corund stream, which increased its salinity and that of the Târnava Mică river. Then, a series of works to divert the Corund riverbed had the same effect of increasing the salinity of the flowing waters in the area. The County School Inspectorate will order the suspension of school with physical attendance at all educational institutions, with the exception of national exams, starting Monday, June 16. The quantity of drinking water delivered to the population will be supplemented and there will be dozens of distribution points. The population has been warned that it is forbidden to eat fish found dead, either in the water or on the shore, because it represents a health hazard.
On the other hand, the 27 people evacuated following the floods in Praid will be able to return to their homes after a period of monitoring of the micro-seismic sensors, which may last even several weeks and only if the data is reassuring, announced the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat. He mentioned that the opening of the wellness area, where there is also a saltwater pool, will also be possible only after the implementation of the micro-seismic monitoring system. The salt mine has been closed since May 6, due to infiltrations caused by the heavy rains. The situation in Praid was examined by a team of experts from Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Hungary, who worked alongside Romanian experts in mining, geodesy, infrastructure and the environment. (LS)
