Disturbing images were published on social media this Sunday, showing the pollution of the coast in the Lalzi Bay area. This is one of the complexes in Lalzi where sewage is discharged directly into the sea, polluting an area heavily frequented by holidaymakers.
Albania has one of the lowest levels in Europe of population connection to wastewater treatment systems. In 2024, only 12.6% of the population was connected to plants providing at least secondary wastewater treatment, according to Eurostat data. The indicator measures the share of the population connected to systems where wastewater undergoes at least biological treatment before being discharged into the environment.
The data also shows a sharp deterioration in the indicator in recent years. The percentage for Albania was 33.6% in 2018, fell to 30.9% in 2020 and then dropped to 12.6% in 2024.
Compared to 2018, the share of the population covered by wastewater treatment has been reduced by 21 percentage points, or by about 63%.
