The overall objective of the project is to improve the water and sanitation infrastructure in the localities of Vaslui county included in the project, in order to fulfil the obligations established by the Accession Treaty and the relevant European Directives. The project represents only a stage of a unitary project that aims to improve the water and sanitation infrastructure in the localities of Vaslui County in order to comply with the requirements of the relevant Europrnr Directives: Directive 98/83/EC and Directive 91/271/EC. Although the project is unitary and is thus presented in Annex 4 of the CF, the investments are made in two phases fully operationally independent, which is proposed to be implemented on two operational programmes: POIM (step I POIM — this project) and PODD (stage I PODD + Phase II). Splitting into stages was proposed taking into account: — The remaining time until the completion of the LIOP implementation period — the financial and institutional capacity of the Operator. The determination of the works for each stage was made on the basis of a multi-criteria analysis set out in Annex 10.1 of Annex 4 to the CF. Two phases with different but complementary objectives were identified, Stage I and Stage II. Although initially Stage I was to be fully financed by LIOP, the duration of implementation of the works allows only part of it to be the subject of this grant request, as a result it is called Stage I LIOP, and the next program will finance Stage I PODD and full Phase II. Some data related to performance, physical and value indicators are presented in the table below: Water supply: Of the total population in the project area of 236,745 (before the project), the LIOP (stage I LIOP) ensures the increase of the connection from 31.4 % to 77.1 % and through PODD (stage I PODD + stage II) further increases the connection rate up to 99.7 %. Wastewater collection and treatment: In waste water from the total load of 200.035 LE, through LIOP (stage I LIOP) ensures the increase of water collection and treatment from 80.99 % to 93.6 %, and PODD (stage I PODD + Stage II) continues to connect until 99.8 %. Out of the total of EUR 443 110 666, the total eligible value of the two stages, the LIOP financed part represents 42.68 %, and in the next phase the financing on PODD for the remaining 57.32 %. The project has an estimated eligible value of EUR 443 110 666 (current prices, excl. VAT), of which, water supply EUR 246 595 878 and waste water EUR 196 514 788. The project in Phase I LIOP has an estimated eligible value of EUR 189 144 120 (current prices, excl. VAT), of which, water supply EUR 122 445 440 and wastewater EUR 66 698 680. The project is consistent with Priority Axis 3, Ob. Specific 3.2 and will contribute to the achievement of the LIOP objectives as follows: Through the project, the next