For more than two decades, 10 families in the village of Ravonik in Korçë have been living without a sewage network for wastewater, a problem that continues to lack a concrete solution. In the absence of infrastructure, residents are forced to use septic tanks, which according to them not only do not function properly but also create serious pollution in the area.
Residents express that for 24 years they have been knocking on the doors of institutions, from the municipality to the prefecture, but without receiving a definitive answer. According to them, there was once a drainage channel on state land in the area, which was later privatized, blocking the possibility of extending the sewage network to these families.
"The village has sewage, only we have been left out. We have paid taxes and have a contract with the water utility, but no one has given us a solution," says one of the residents.
They also emphasize that the pollution has become unbearable, directly affecting daily life and the health of the community. On the other hand, representatives of the Korçë Water and Sewerage Utility clarify that the problem is related to land quotas, as the homes are located lower than the road, making it necessary to pass pipelines through private property, for which an agreement has not been reached with the owner.
The institution stresses that currently, service is provided through periodic cleaning of septic tanks, while long-term solutions remain negotiations with the owner or the possibility of expropriation, if an agreement is reached. The Municipality of Korçë also acknowledges that this is a long-standing issue. The mayor of the municipality, in a response, confirms that efforts have been made to contact the landowners, who are abroad, but without success. He adds that the use of septic tanks is not an unusual solution in cases where the sewage network is technically impossible.