Braniște commune, Râșcani district invests in clean water and waste management with residents' involvement

Residents of Braniște commune, Râșcani district, are benefiting from investments in environmental infrastructure and local resource management, following the implementation of a project dedicated to nature protection and community engagement. As part of the project “We invest in nature, we invest in the community,” the public association “Moștenitorii,” together with the town hall and the residents of the commune, rehabilitated 24 public wells, arranged two springs, and reorganized the local dumpsite.

At the same time, in the four localities of the commune, four platforms were installed for the separate collection of plastic waste. The project was financed through the small grants program “Active citizens for a healthy environment and green justice,” part of the project “Green Justice for a protected environment and sustainable communities in the Republic of Moldova,” implemented by NGO EcoContact with financial support from Sweden.

More water sources rehabilitated than initially planned

One of the main components of the project focused on improving access to safe water sources. Initially, work was planned for 20 wells, but in the end 24 were cleaned, disinfected, and repaired. Two springs were also insulated and arranged, one of them being connected to the centralized water supply system.

To verify water quality, samples were taken from one spring and five wells and analyzed in the laboratory. According to the final report, the test results were positive.

More than 70 community residents were directly involved in the work to arrange the water sources.

The commune’s dumpsite reduced more than threefold

“Another important component of the project was waste management. The area of the commune’s dumpsite was reduced from 1.7 hectares to 0.5 hectares, with access roads being arranged and separate zones designated for household waste, construction materials, and organic waste. The perimeter was marked off with a natural fence of black locust, and from the savings generated within the project, a surveillance camera was also installed,” EcoContact explains.

To enable separate plastic collection, four platforms were set up in the localities of the commune. Braniște’s experience has already attracted the interest of other local administrations, with two town halls requesting the installation of similar platforms.

Environmental education brought into the community

The project was not limited to infrastructure works. During six workshops, 17 local facilitators were trained, including educators, teachers, civic activists, and students.

“Subsequently, they organized information activities for approximately 160 people, from children and teenagers to the elderly. The discussions focused on protecting water resources, waste management and recycling, composting, as well as harnessing the commune’s touristic potential. Community involvement also extended to the process of updating the Local Environmental Action Plan (LEAP). A group of 15 people took part in six meetings during which environmental problems were identified, priorities were set, and actions for the community were formulated. The updated document was approved by the communal council in May 2026,” the cited source notes.

According to EcoContact, Braniște commune’s experience shows that relatively small investments, combined with resident involvement, can bring about concrete changes in the management of water, waste, and natural resources.

The implementation of the project was supported by Braniște town hall, Râșcani Environmental Protection Inspectorate and Bălți Public Health Center, Râșcani branch.

The project, carried out between 1 October 2025 and 30 April 2026, had a total value of 410,973 lei. Of this amount, 368,973 lei, or 90%, represented funding provided through the small grants program, while 42,000 lei constituted the organization’s contribution.