Water and sewerage from Apă Canal Ilfov, electricity from Rețele Electrice Muntenia, and gas in most of the county from Distrigaz Sud Rețele. Each has its own documents.
In September 2026 Apă Canal Ilfov commissioned a transmission main of more than 17.5 km to Tunari and Balotești, adding more than 120 cubic metres of water an hour.
Anyone whose street has a public sewer must connect. A sealed septic tank must be at least 10 metres from the nearest home and emptied by truck.
The Apă Canal Ilfov tariff according to ANRSC: 8.25 lei for water and 8.85 lei for sewerage and treatment, excluding VAT, in force from June 2025.
Rețele Electrice issues a technical connection permit within 30 days of a complete file. The whole process takes about four to five months.
Utility connections for a villa in Ilfov: the short answer
"Connected to all utilities" should mean four things: the home receives water from the public network, waste water goes to a public sewer and not a tank, there is a live gas connection with a meter, and there is a permanent electricity connection with a meter in your name. In Ilfov, water and sewerage usually belong to Apă Canal Ilfov, electricity to Rețele Electrice Muntenia, and gas in most of the county to Distrigaz Sud Rețele. Each is a separate connection, with separate documents. What does not appear in a document probably does not exist yet.
In Israel, when you buy a new apartment, "connected" is almost taken for granted. In the suburbs of Bucharest it is not. Many listings say "toate utilitățile", all utilities, without specifying exactly what is connected and to which network. So it is worth knowing what to ask.
Four networks, four operators
| Utility | Who operates it in Ilfov | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Apă Canal Ilfov, in 16 localities in the county | Network connection, meter, contract in your name |
| Sewerage | Apă Canal Ilfov | Connection to a public sewer, not a septic tank |
| Gas | In most of the county Distrigaz Sud Rețele | Regulator cabinet and meter at the plot boundary |
| Electricity | Rețele Electrice Muntenia, in Bucharest, Ilfov and Giurgiu | Permanent connection, meter, approved capacity |
According to Balotești town hall, Apă Canal Ilfov operates water and sewerage in Balotești as part of a regional association of 16 localities. In Otopeni, the energy regulator ANRE appointed Distrigaz Sud Rețele as the gas network operator. In other localities, it is worth checking the operator by address.
Water: a network still being built
Ilfov's suburbs have grown faster than the pipes. Ilfov county grew by about 40% between 2011 and 2021, and we wrote about this in our article on Ilfov's growth. Some homes in the area still get water from a private well.
The network is improving. On 3 September 2026, Apă Canal Ilfov announced the commissioning of a new transmission main more than 17.5 km long, from a connection point to the Bucharest network in Otopeni to Tunari and Balotești. The main adds more than 120 cubic metres of drinking water an hour, and includes a pressure booster station in Tunari. The investment: about 14 million lei excluding VAT.
A line in the brochure saying "connected to the water network" is worth something only if there is a water company meter and a contract that can be transferred into your name.
Sewer or septic tank: the difference that matters most
This is the section most buyers skip, and it is the one that affects daily life most.
Under Law 241/2006 on water and sewerage services, anyone whose street has a public sewer network must connect to it. Where there is no network, waste water is collected in a sealed tank emptied by a sewage truck (fosă vidanjabilă) or in a small treatment unit. Under Ministry of Health Order 119/2014, such a tank must be at least 10 metres from the nearest home (text of the order).
What does this mean in practice? A septic tank is a recurring emptying cost, a smell in summer if something is wrong, and dependence on a private provider. A public sewer is a monthly bill based on consumption, and you never think about it.
In Balotești, Apă Canal Ilfov is extending the network street by street. According to a company update from July 2026, networks on Cameliei, Rozelor, Viilor and Zori de Zi streets have been completed and are in the process of being taken over for operation. In other words: some streets have sewers, and some are still waiting. The question is not "Is there a sewer in Balotești?" but "Is there a sewer on this home's street?".
A line in the brochure saying "connected to the water network" is worth something only if there is a water company meter and a contract that can be transferred into your name.
How much water and sewerage cost
The Apă Canal Ilfov tariff, approved by the regulator ANRSC and in force from 1 June 2025, is uniform across all the localities the company serves (ANRSC tariff table):
| Component | Lei per cubic metre, excluding VAT |
|---|---|
| Drinking water | 8.25 |
| Sewerage and treatment | 8.85 |
| Total | 17.10 |
Note: someone living with a septic tank does not pay the sewerage component to the company, but does pay the provider who empties the tank. And a large garden in summer is watered with drinking water at full price, unless there is a separate meter or source for irrigation.
Gas and electricity: what a new connection looks like
Gas. A new connection starts with an application to the operator, which decides the supply solution and issues a technical connection permit (ATR), a contract and a payment request. The work is carried out by an ANRE-authorised contractor, and the operator accepts the work and activates the meter. According to Distrigaz Sud Rețele, the connection runs from the pipe in the street to a regulating and metering cabinet at the plot boundary. The piping inside the plot is then yours.
Electricity. According to Rețele Electrice, the operator sets a technical solution and issues an ATR within 30 days at most of a complete file being submitted, and the whole process, through to a meter and power, takes about four to five months.
In a new home from a developer, all of this should be done by the developer. What matters to you is checking that the connection is permanent and not a temporary construction site connection, and that the approved capacity suits the home: a heat pump, electric car charging and air conditioning in every room use more than a home designed a decade ago.
What to ask the developer for, in writing
| What to ask for | Why |
|---|---|
| Connection documents for each network (ATR, approvals) | Prove the connection was approved by the operator |
| Acceptance report for each connection | Proves the work was completed and accepted |
| Meter numbers for each utility | Let you open a contract in your name |
| Confirmation that the sewerage is connected to a public network | The difference between a sewer and a septic tank |
| The approved electrical capacity, in kilowatts | Determines whether the home will meet your consumption |
| Who owns the infrastructure on a private street | Determines who is responsible for a fault outside the home |
The last item is especially important in developments with a private street. If the pipes in the street have not been transferred to the water company, who repairs them when they break? We wrote about the questions to ask any developer in a separate article, and about handover day itself in our guide to receiving the keys.
And what about us
I will mention this once: anyone who comes to see Compass on the Lake in Balotești is welcome to ask us for the list in the table above, item by item. That is the standard I suggest you demand from every developer.
Frequently asked questions
Who supplies water and sewerage in Ilfov?
In most localities in the county, including Balotești, the regional company Apă Canal Ilfov, which serves 16 localities. Other operators work in some localities, so it is worth checking by address.
What is the difference between a sewer and a septic tank in a villa in Romania?
A public sewer carries waste water to the network, and you pay by consumption. A sealed septic tank collects it on the plot, and it must be emptied by a sewage truck. Under Law 241/2006, anyone whose street has a sewer network must connect to it.
How much does a cubic metre of water cost in Ilfov?
According to ANRSC, the Apă Canal Ilfov tariff is 8.25 lei per cubic metre of water and 8.85 lei per cubic metre of sewerage and treatment, a total of 17.10 lei per cubic metre excluding VAT, in force from 1 June 2025.
Who connects a villa to electricity in Ilfov?
Rețele Electrice Muntenia, formerly E-Distribuție Muntenia, is the electricity network operator in Bucharest, Ilfov and Giurgiu. It issues a technical connection permit within 30 days at most of a complete file being submitted.
What should I ask the developer for to make sure the home is connected?
Connection documents and an acceptance report for each network, meter numbers, confirmation that the sewerage is connected to a public network, and the approved electrical capacity. Without these documents, "connected" is a statement, not a fact.
The bottom line
"Connected to all utilities" is four separate connections, with four operators and four piles of documents. In Ilfov the networks are improving, but not on every street at the same pace. Anyone who checks meters, acceptance reports and sewerage before signing spares themselves the surprises of the first winter.
If you are looking at a villa in north Bucharest, with us or with any other developer, book a 30-minute call with me. We will go through the documents you received together and check what is missing. For the running costs of the home after you get the keys, see our article on villa upkeep costs.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources and data: Apă Canal Ilfov, press releases (transmission main to Tunari and Balotești, 03.09.2026) · Apă Canal Ilfov, update 01.07.2026 · Balotești town hall, water and sewerage · ANRSC, water and sewerage tariffs of regional operators · Distrigaz Sud Rețele, new gas connection · ANRE, appointment of the gas operator in Otopeni · Rețele Electrice, consumer grid connection · HotNews, Rețele Electrice Muntenia · Romanian legislation portal (Law 241/2006) · Ministry of Health Order 119/2014.
This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Utility operators, tariffs and connection procedures vary by locality and over time. Check with the local operator and a lawyer before signing.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
