Around RSD 3.3 billion for hydro projects in 2018 – Here's what this year's Water Management Program envisions

A little over RSD 3.3 billion is planned to be set aside from the state budget for water management in 2018. The funds are meant for the water regulation and exploitation (RSD 670 million), protection of waters from pollution (RSD 140.5 million), regulation of waterways and protection from harmful effects of waters (RSD 2.3 billion), as well as planning and international cooperation in water management (RSD 174.5 million). All of this is defined by the Water Management Program for 2018, recently adopted by the Government of Serbia.

Among other things, the budget funds will be used to finance technical documentation for water facilities for drinking water supply and sanitary and hygienic purposes, facilities for preparation of drinking water, main pipelines and reservoirs throughout Serbia, flood protection infrastructure, irrigation systems...

Money has also been set aside for capital infrastructural projects in water management.

RSD 400 million for Svrackovo, 140 million for Stubo-Rovni

Although it was recently announced during the construction of the diversion tunnel at the Svrackovo dam that the deadline for the completion of this project had been postponed until 2022, it seems that the deadline will be extended even further. The Water Management Program envisages budget funds for the continuation of works on the dam, but sets 2025 as the completion deadline.

Let us remind that the construction of the Svrackovo dam began in 2010 and that, according to the initial plans and announcements, it was supposed to take seven years. However, the deadline was extended and the project is now estimated to take more than twice as long. Instead of seven years, the Svrackovo dam should be completed in as many as 15 years.

The Water Management Program for 2018 envisages for RSD 400 million to be invested in works this year, and the money should be used to finance the construction of a spillway, an intake tower with a water supply tower and a gatehouse, a diversion tunnel, workpit security structures, as well as supervision, design and fees for ground exploitation.

The total value of the project amounts to RSD 7.36 billion.

Budget funds will also be used to continue the investments in the dam and the headpond Stubo-Rovni on the Jablanica near Valjevo. As recently announced, the project is in the final stages after nearly 30 years of construction, and this year's Water Management Program specifies that the planned deadline for its completion is 2019.

The state has invested EUR 80 million in the construction so far, according to the local media, and another 20 million is required for the completion, making this dam one of the bigger infrastructural projects in western Serbia.

Around 90% of the entire system has been built, and the facility is currently undergoing the process of the so-called technical acceptance and trial operations from August 2017 until August 2018, as the acting director of the PE Kolubara, Zoran Mitrovic, said this January.

The lake and the entire system, let us remind, supply around 300,000 citizens of Valjevo and the municipalities of Ub, Lajkovac, Lazarevac and Mionica with water, and Ljig and Koceljeva are interested in getting a water connection as well.

This year's water budget envisages RSD 140 million for this project.

Regional and local projects

The Water Management Program for 2018 also envisages funds for construction, reconstruction and preparation of technical documentation for water facilities for drinking water supply and sanitary and hygienic purposes, facilities for preparation of drinking water, main pipelines and reservoirs throughout Serbia.

A total of RSD 100 million has been set aside for the development of regional water supply systems, namely, the Upper South Morava, Lower South Morava, West Morava-Rzav, Ibar-Sumadija, Rasina-Pomoravlje, Timok, Mlava-Morava, Kolubara, Sava-Belgrade and Macva systems.

Construction and reconstruction of water supply systems for settlements in the municipalities of Ivanjica, Bajina Basta, Despotovac, Krupanj, Svilajnac, Rekovac, Brus, Svrljig, Kladovo, Zagubica, Donji Milanovac, Knjazevac and Ljubovija have also been planned.

Also, in 2018, investments will be made in regular maintenance of the regional water supply systems Macva and Negotinska Nizija.

RSD 2.3 billion has been set aside for the maintenance of water structures for waterway regulation, flood protection, erosion and tides, as well as water structures for draining. The amount includes funds for the reconstruction of the flood protection infrastructure in the territory of the City of Valjevo, the municipalities of Paracin and Svilajnac, as well as the urban municipalities of Obrenovac and Surcin, in the total amount of RSD 30 million.

Pollution protection of waters

When it comes to the pollution protection of waters, RSD 140.5 million has been set aside.

Slightly over a third of this amount, more precisely, RSD 50.5 million, is meant for construction, reconstruction and preparation of technical documentation for water structures for collection, disposal and treatment of waste water and protection of waters. A part of the funds will be used to finance the carrying out of measures in case of pollution disasters, water quality control and activities on enhancing protection of waters from pollution.

The remaining RSD 90 million is meant for the construction of a sludge line within the waste water treatment facility of the city of Sabac. Let us remind that the city got the waste water treatment facility in November 2017, when the construction of the sludge line was announced as well.

The Water Management Program 2018 also envisages funds for planning and international cooperation in the field of water management in the amount of RSD 174.5 million.

As stated in the document, all the funds from the budget defined by the Program are allocated in line with even dynamics and are planned by the Decree on Defining the Waste Management Program for 2018.

Vlada Republike Srbije

Ministarstvo poljoprivrede, šumarstva i vodoprivrede Republike Srbije

Ministarstvo građevinarstva, saobraćaja i infrastrukture Republike Srbije

JP za vodosnabdevanje Rzav Arilje

Ministarstvo za javna ulaganja Republike Srbije

JP Stubo Rovni Kolubara Valjevo

Svrackovo dam

diversion tunnel on Svrackovo dam

Water Management Program for 2018

Decree on Defining the Water Management Program for 2018

Stubo Rovni

Jablanica

Rzav

headpond

dam

dams

PE Kolubara

Kolubara

drinking water

development of water supply system

Upper South Morava water supply system

Lower South Morava water supply system

West Morava Rzav water supply system

Ibar Sumadija water supply system

Rasina Pomoravlje water supply system

Timok

Mlava Morava water supply system

Kolubara water supply system

Sava Belgrade water supply system

Macva water supply system

Macva irrigation system

Negotinska Nizija irrigation system

Macva

Negotinska Nizija

Sabac waste water treatment facility

Sabac sludge line

international cooperation in water management

Pcinja

Vlasina lake