The major purpose of this activity is to enhance the capacity of the Apele Moldovei Agency and Water Users’ Associations to manage efficiently the central irrigation systems rehabilitated with the Compact support and, thus, ensure the sustainability of the Compact investments. Moreover, SDA Moldova will initiate and coordinate public consultations on environmental issues, which were in the spotlight also during the Compact implementation.

SDA Moldova will act as a support center for the institutions involved in the activities related to platform 1 (issuance of special water use authorizations), platform 2 – Water Resources Information System (SIRA) that is used to store data related to water resources and for hydrologic modeling and has a geospatial data information system, and platform 3 that is used to manage the Nistru river basin, all the three platforms designed under the Compact, and will support revision of the Water Law and the Law on WUAs.

The key tasks of the activity are to:

• Provide capacity development support to Apele Moldovei Agency and other Ministry of Environment subordinated institutions to best service the needs of Water User Associations (WUAs) and use efficiently the river basin water resources;
• Define and deliver immediate and short-term legal, technical and financial support to the 10 WUAs established in the areas of the central irrigation systems rehabilitated with the Compact support to advance their capacities to manage new irrigation assets and support other WUAs interested in asset management transfer of irrigation infrastructure in accordance with the WUA Law;
• Facilitate refinement and implementation of the Nistru River Basin Management Plan developed under the Irrigation Sector Reform Activity;
• Promote parallel or co-investment in sustainability of water resources activities among government institutions, donor community, private sector and other stakeholders.