April 2022 Archives

“Clean Serbia” – healthy attitude towards waters

Posted on 28. April 2022. by administrator

Just how much the lack of sewage network jeopardizes the water streams in our country is best illustrated by the data of the Environmental Protection Agency, because wastewaters in Serbia annually contain 109 tons of Zinc, 55 tons of Cobalt, 17 tons of Chromium, 13 tons of Arsenic, 12 tons of Led and 11 tons of Nickel, with a growing tendency.

At the territory of Belgrade alone, there are 119 direct sewage outlets into the rivers Sava and Danube.

Great pressure is put on the status of surface waters of Serbia by drains of untreated municipal and industrial wastewaters.

It is estimated that the total production of wastewaters in Serbia is 3.5 million cubic meters a day.

The pollution of water is mostly a consequence of uncontrolled drainage of pollutants of various origins.

Our waters are polluted by:

-industrial wastewaters

– household wastewaters

– waters coming from farms and agricultural homesteads where pesticides are being used

– waters flowing from city streets

The existing level of collection, drainage and treatment of wastewaters in the Republic of Serbia is at a significantly low level. In accordance with the interests and goals of the Republic of Serbia for the protection of surface and ground water quality, protection of watersupply source, preservation of health of its citizens and general environmental protection, financial means are allocated for the achievement of these goals, i.e. for the financing of construction and reconstruction of water facilities for the protection from pollution. Serbia is changing its attitude towards waters!

Therefore -“Clean Serbia”

European technologies with professional analyses of the outline of the „Clean Serbia“ Project

Posted on 27. April 2022. by administrator

Unfortunately, Serbia is not a country which can brag with achieved ecological standards of Europe and developed countries of the world. „Clean Serbia“ Project is one way to achieve European standards and preserve our natural resources for the future generations.

CLEAN SERBIA Project covers two projects: Project of construction of municipal (sewage) infrastructure and Project of construction of infrastructure for disposal of solid municipal waste in the Republic of Serbia. Within the scope of these projects, construction of a sewage network in the length of 5,206,679.31m and 165 wastewater treatment plants which will cover around 3,000,000 residents at 89 locations is planned.

Additionally, the project will cover repair, reconstruction, re-cultivation and construction of solid municipal waste management centers in Niš, Kragujevac, Kraljevo and Pančevo with two thermovaluers (plants which will convert waste into electrical and thermal energy).

The works have already begun and are taking place at 16 locations in 14 local self-governments (Novi Sad, Kragujevac, Knić, Novi Bečej, Kučevo, Obrenovac, Lazarevac, Mionica, Svrljig, Kladovo, Lajkovac, Vranje, Krupanj, Varvarin) where a sewage network in the length of 680,344.36m and 26 wastewater treatment plants which cover 195,100 residents are being constructed.

So far almost 60,000 m of sewage network has been constructed at the aforementioned 16 locations. Wastewater treatment plants for all locations are in the designing phase.

In the current 2022, opening of additional 21 locations for the construction of sewage network and wastewater treatment plants across the Republic of Serbia is planned.

The entire Project was initially conceived as the Project to protect Serbian Rivers, primarily all three Morava Rivers, Drina and Kolubara Rivers.

Implementation of the Project itself is of utmost significance for the Republic of Serbia, because our country is currently in the biggest and financially most straining phase in the field of quality water protection, and that is mirrored in the construction of almost 6000 kilometers of new sewage network and more than 250 wastewater treatment plants, out of which the Ministry of Construction is building almost 200 plants (apart from „Clean Serbia“, two more projects are being implmented – a project with the KfW Bank and a project with Hungary).

This way, the problem that 3,000,000 residents share in over 90 cities and municipalities in Serbia will be addressed.

The official data indicate that in the Republic of Serbia, less than 8% of municipal wastewaters are being treated before discharge. That is a direct consequence of a small number of operational wastewater treatment plants which provide an appropriate degree of treatment, which directly influences the appropriate quality of waters discharged into the environment.

The biggest pollutants of waters are municipal and industrial wastewaters which are being directly discharged into water streams without previous treatment.

The percentage of the population covered by wastewater treatment, according to the data from 2020, was 14.1% in 2018, out of which 13.1% was at least connected to a secondary treatment.

Underdeveloped sewage network poses an additional problem, which leads to a low level of municipal wastewater retention.

It is an indisputable fact that only around 1,572,314 households are connected to a sewage system in the Republic of Serbia, while the rest have to use a cesspool.

As a consequence of low-level retention and treatment of wastewaters, in the water streams of Serbia there is an unacceptably high content of potentially toxic elements even according to the level of maximally allowed concentration and frequency of its occurrence.

Industrial wastewaters, which are frequently discharged into the drainage systems of wastewaters from households without any prior treatment of quality control, pose a special problem and that additionally burdens the existing systems.

Treatment of municipal wastewaters has been acknowledged as one of the priorities in the Republic of Serbia, it is in all strategic documents and it is an unavoidable part of the official policy which analyzes the field of waters. In the process of defining a negotiating position ofr Chapter 27 it has been identified as financially most demanding field which carries two thirds of all investments into the water sector.

The stated facts are generally known and they are the very motivation for the Ministry of Construction and the Project itself, so that Serbia can preserve its natural resources, improve the living standard of its citizens and contribute to general efforts and aspirations to become a part of the European family.

Construction of the sewage network in cities and municipalities of Serbia will be completed with the construction of Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). When it comes to the construction of the aforementioned wastewater treatment plants, it is necessary to emphasize that the Project plans for the implementation of best and proven technologies for our circumstances, technology of the most eminent global manufacturers. It is important to accentuate that all technologies which are already in the designing phase are applied in all European cities.

„Clean Serbia“ Project plans for the application of SBR, MBR and MMBR technologies. We remind that the technology which will be applied in the Project is already implemented by the European companies in Raška, Kruševac, Čajetina.

The very begining of the implementation of the „Clean Serbia“ Project was preceded by a series of professional analyses of all available and widely used technologies. Three key parameters, according to which the analyses were conducted, were taken into consideration: the size of the plants which depents on the size of the city, the recipient and the quality of incoming untreated water.

The mentioned analyses were conducted by the most eminent Serbian professors whose contribution does not end there, they actively participate and follow the implementation of the Project, from a scientific standpoint.

OUR LAND MUST BE CLEAN – OUR RIVERS MUST BE CLEAR – WATER WHICH WE DRINK HEALTHY AND GOOD – HEALTH OF OUR CITIZENS IS A PRIORITY AND MAIN GOAL OF THESE PROJECTS!

Momirović: Obrenovac to get 100 km of sewage network

Posted on 27. April 2022. by administrator

The Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Tomislav Momirović has stated today in Obrenovac that 100 km of sewage network and two wastewater treatment factories will be constructed on the territory of that municipality. So far, 40 km of sewage network has been constructed in the Municipality of Obrenovac.

While visiting the works on the implementation of the “Clean Serbia” Project in Obrenovac, the Minister has strongly emphasized that only 8 per cent of the population in our country is covered by wastewater treatment plants. “We are currently building on 16 locations and in the previous two months we have built 60 kilometers of sewage network. How behind we are in terms of municipal infrastructure says the fact that only 8 per cent of the population in this country is covered by wastewater treatment plants. We have to change that, clean our rivers, to treat wastewaters and to discharge clean water into nature”, says the Minister during his visit to the construction site.

Momirović has emphasized that fast railroads and highways are all for nothing if we destroy nature.

“This Project that we are implementing in Obrenovac is the biggest ecological project in the history of our country and I personally, the entire Government and the political system led by the President Aleksandar Vučić will not stop until we complete this Project”, says the Minister.

The President of the Municipality of Obrenovac Miroslav Čučković says that

So far, 40 km of sewage has been built in Obrenovac and it covers the following settlements: Šljivica, Belo Polje, settlement of Braće Jugović, routes towards Valjevo and Ub, settlement of Zvečka, as well as along the road to Šabac.

“We have added to that the settlements of Urovci and Krtinska and the crown of that entire process has to be the construction of a wastewater treatment factory. Thanks to the Government of Serbia, Messrs. Jeremić and Tomislav Momirović we will receive two factories in our town. Wastewater treatment factory will be located between the picnic area “Zabran” and the highway, which is why it is important that it be constructed according to the highest ecological standards, in high quality and long-lasting” says the President of the Municipality of Obrenovac Miroslav Čučković.

Čučković has presented an interesting fact that the prices of houses in the parts of Obrenovac where the sewage and heating pipes have been constructed have grown by 30 per cent, which is, in his opinion, another reason to complete this Project.

The President of the Municipality, Čučković, has announced that the continuation of works from July 1 plans for the River Barička and streets Miroslava Čamdžije, Grobljanska and all streets which gravitate towards that part of Obrenovac, which would complete the preparations for the commissioning of the entire system.

Vesić: Construction of a wastewater treatment factory – a priority

Posted on 20. April 2022. by administrator

Deputy Mayor of Belgrade Goran Vesić, whilst attending the commemoration of 20 years of existence of the Regional Agency for Development and European Integrations Belgrade, has especially emphasised the importance of the “Clean Serbia” Project and has stated that there are 119 direct sewage drains into the Danube and Sava on the territory of Belgrade.

Vesić has said that, according to the current circumstances of sewage drains and the very sewage network, the construction of a wastewater treatment plant from crucial importance for our rivers and the very life of the residents. Vesić sees the solution to this problem in the implementation of the “Clean Serbia” Project.

“No major city in Europe does this and this needs to change. It is necessary that we construct five wastewater treatment factories. The construction of a wastewater treatment factory has commenced in Veliko selo, which will facilitate the reduction of sewage draining into the Danube and Sava by 80 per cent. The value of the first phase of works is 281 million EUR, and the second will cost between 400 and 600 million EUR, depending on which technology gets selected, the one with sludge incineration or without. We are going to construct two smaller wastewater treatment plants in Ostružnica and Obrenovac, and through the “Clean Serbia” Project an additional 500 km of sewage, 100 of which is going to be in Obrenovac, over 70 kilometers in Lazarevac with two factories, while the centre of Mladenovac is going to receive four smaller wastewater treatment plants. Four local communities in Sopot will also receive sewage so we are slowly upgrading the sewage system, and most importantly, this includes the construction of a wastewater treatment plants. Apart from the Veliko selo, Ostružnica and Obrenovac, wastewater treatment factories will be constructed in Batanjica and Grocka“ Vesić emphasised.

Construction of the sewage network and wastewater treatment plants within the scope of the “Clean Serbia” Project is in accordance with the ‘Green Agenda’ accepted by Serbia in November 2020.

“Clean Serbia” Project in full swing

Posted on 16. April 2022. by administrator

Works under the “Clean Serbia” Project are going according to the dynamics. There are works on the network currently on several locations across a couple of Municipalities, while the opening of new sites in those Municipalities is being prepared. Last week, the works have started in Banja Vrujci.

While works are already being carried out in the Municipalities where the contracts have been signed, numerous municipalities and cities in Serbia are working intensively on collecting the necessary documentation for the signing of new contracts

As Minister Tomislav Momirović has announced on several occasions so far, new contracts will be signed this year with the Municipalities that have already completed the administrative part of the work. “The plan is to build the sewage infrastructure and Wastewater Treatment Plants in 80 municipalities in Serbia in the next five years,” said the Minister.

“Clean Serbia” expected to start in Smederevska Palanka

Posted on 12. April 2022. by administrator

In the following months the “Clean Serbia” Project is expected to start in Smederevska Palanka, announced the President of the Municipality Nikola Vucen.

The implementation of the Project includes the construction of the sewage network in the length of almost 170 km, but also six smaller and one big wastewater treatment plant, report the local media.

‘“Clean Serbia” will for the first time grant our fellow citizens access to a sewage and water supply network in places where there currently is none’, says the President of the Municipality Nikola Vucen on his Facebook profile.

According to him, the first phase should start from the settlement of Glibovac in the length of 1 800m in st. Cara Dusana and st. Karadjordjeva. “The total value of works is around 60 million EUR” says the President of the Municipality Nikola Vucen.

Regional Center Novi Sad – 35 km of sewage network completed so far

Posted on 8. April 2022. by administrator

„Clean Serbia“ Project Regional Center of Novi Sad covers eight Municipalities: Novi Sad, Novi Becej, Ada, Subotica, Sombor, Stara Pazova, Indjija, Sremska Mitrovica. In two Municipalities, works are already in progress.

„ The works are being carried out in two municipalites, Novi Sad and Novi Becej. In Novi Sad, the works are done in Cenej and Kisac and we have one settlement in Novi Becej“, says the manager of the Center Marko Markovic.

Markovic says that the works are planned in phases: Novi Sad 66.8km of network – Phase I, 24.9 km of network + 1 WWTP – Phases 2 and 3 and Novi Becej 47.5 km of network, 2 WWTPs. The works are contracted by Juzna Backa in Novi Sad and by Sani Eco Vita in Novi Becej.

„The Municipalities are truly open to cooperation and the very goal of the Project has been genuinely comprehended. The Municipalities we are working with are greatly dedicated to the implementation of the Project. There are many reasons for it, mainly the state of the sewage network, which is quite poor. Many municipalities do not have a sewage network, and those that have, have the one which is old and with a great percentage of infiltration of athmospheric and undergound waters. Also, the sewage culture is very poor in settlements“, Markovic explains.

According to him, because of such state, the rivers Tisa, Danube and the Danube-Tisa-Danube canal are greatly jeopardized.

Within the scope of the „Clean Serbia“ Project, the contracts have been signed with two Municipalities, and Markovic says that he is expecting four more contracts to be singed by the end of the year.

„The Municipalities which are now in the Project, are extremely expeditious and dedicated to the implementation of this Project and have responsibly provided the necessary documentation. In accordance with the Law, the requirements for the preparation of the technical and design documentation are: defined coverage, streets and route lenghts, resolved property legal relations of parcels, KTP with the plan of underground water supply lines. For the beginning of works: valid design and technical documentation, valid Construction Permits for the execution of works, construction site registration. That is a very comprehensive documentation“, Markovic says and adds advice for those who are late: to form a functional, professional and motivated entity for the implementation of this Project.

„The Ministry, which is a Financier in this Project, gives tremendous importance to the impelemtation of the Project through constant support to Local Self-Governments in speeding up and solving the process in state public companies and bodies. Additonally, the Ministry plays an important role by mediating between all participants in the Project“, Markovic says.

Novi Sad – so far, more than 25km of sewage network in two settlements has been completed.

Novi Bečej – so far, more than 7km of sewage network has been completed.

Regional Center Kragujevac – 16 Municipalities in the „Clean Serbia“ Project

Posted on 7. April 2022. by administrator

Regional Center „Clean Serbia“ in Kragujevac covers 16 Municipalities. Signing of four additional contracts is expected with Municipalities which will enable more works to start at new locations.

On the territory covered by the Regional Center Kragujevac, there are currently ongoing works at 7 locations. „We are talking about two Municipalities: Kragujevac and Knic. The works are progressing in accordance with the planned dynamics and construction standards“, says the manager of the Center Nenad Nikolic.

With regards to Kragujevac, we are talking about the construction of a sewage network in the lenght of 41,745.42 m, while currently in Knic there is an implementation of 34,390.80m. Four WWTPs will be constructed in Knic in the first phase already. The Contractor of the works is the company .WD Concord West.

„A large number of municipalites has had a problem with the announcement of public procurement for route surveying for KTP, however, a vast majoirty of cities and municipalities were able to complete that and are delivering the bases to designers. Municipalities are, for the most part, ready to cooperate and are delivering the needed documentation on time. If some problem does occur, we overcome it by meeting with the representatives of cities and municipalities, coordinators in front of the cities and municipalities, there are also representatives of designers and CRBC“, Nikolic explains, adding that the winter months were used exactly to prepare the necessary documentation.

According to him, in cities and municipalities which are covered by the Regional Center Kragujevac, sewage network is mostly not constructed in the outskirts of those places, and thus the circumstances are unfavorable. In cities and municipalities where there is a sewage network, spilling and bursting of pipes is a frequent occurence, and reconstruction is necessary.

„Apart from raising the living standard of the residents, the goal of the „Clean Serbia“ Project is the preservation of our rivers because a healthy environment means a healthy future. Unfortunately, when it comes to our Center, all rivers which pass through or by the cities and municipalities are equally jeopardized, apart from those with acces to a WWTP so the danger there is lower. I still believe that the situation in terms of sewage network and wastewater treatment plants is by far the worst in Velika Plana, Novi Pazar and Smederevska Palanka“, Nikolic explains.

So far, two contracts have been signed, and according to the latest information, four more signings are expected to happen this year. Nikolic says that the majority of cities and municipalites are in the finishing phases of documentation preparation, which is crucial for the signing of the contracts.

“ Malo Crnice has the complete documentation ready. Some cities and Municipalities have prepared wholes. Some are missing KTP. Some cities and municipalities are in the process of preparing the Preliminary Design, and some are in the process of obtaining location conditions. Most have started with collecting compliances for the issuance of construction permits. Most cities and municipalities are obtaining the documentation on time. Currently, the biggest issue is in Arandjelovac, because the route surveying for KTP is going slowly and the communication between the design coordinators and the Mayor is poor. Additionally, Batocina and Kragujevac are slow in delivering the needed documentation and responding to questions of designers“, says Nenad Nikolic, the manager of the Regional Center Kragujevac.

In order for the preparation of documentation to run more smoothly, it is necessary for Municipalities to form a professional team to be involved in this Project. The Ministry has provided the contact of a person in state companies, which has greatly facilitated the procurement of needed compliances required for the issuance of lcoation conditions and construction permits.

Currently in these terms, the fastest progressing places are: Vrnjacka banja, Paracin, Zabari, Svilajnac while the Municipality of Knic is in front of the other municipalities in terms of the amount of executed works.

„We must not forget that the implementation of the „Clean Serbia“ Poject has several benefits, the most crucial ones beign: environmental, economical and social. Environmental benefit is reflected in the fact that with this Project the problem of river pollution will be solved to a large degree. Economical benefit is reflected in the employment of business entities in the Republic of Serbia, which are working on the execution of works and the production of installed material. The econimical benefit directly influences the social benefit. Everything is related, and what is most important, it is all for the benefit of residents themselves“, Nikolic concludes.

Regional Center Niš- Works at eight locations

Posted on 5. April 2022. by administrator

In order to organise better and track the „Clean Serbia“ Project more expeditiously, it is being implemented from several centers. Regional Center Niš covers as many as 19 municipalities.

„We are executing the works in three municipalities currently, at eight locations. At three locations in Svrljig, then in Varvarin and in Vranje at 4 locations. We are leaving the winter and cold days behind, so it is expected that everything will progress much faster“, says the manager of the Regional Center Niš Predrag Lukić, M.A. Construction Engineer.

In the implementation of the „Clean Serbia“ Project cooperation with the Municipalities which are being covered is crucial. Lukić states that the problems in cooperation exist mainly because of the documentation.

„The Municipalities are late in delivering and updating the necessary documentation. But that situation is divided. On one hand, we have Municipalities which are extremely expeditious and efficient, and the ones which are falling behind on the other hand. If any problems occur, we solve them with the representatives of the Municipalities, we are the ones who are always there for them, to get involved and help as much as we can“, Lukić explains.

The sewage netowork situation in Municipalities covered by the Regional Center Niš is not good, which is the case in other parts of Serbia. The „Clean Serbia:“ Project will enable the raise of the living standard of citizens by solving these key problems. In most cases, Cities and Municipalities drain the sewage into rivers.

„That is the case in Niš, and when we are talking about rivers, South Morava is the most endangered. The preservation of this river is our main goal. So far, we have three contracts that are signed, and it is expected to sign three more this year. Everything is up to the Municipalities and the degree of their expediency. In order to enter a design, a valid construction permit, all necessary design and technical documentation and a resolved property status of a plot where the works are being done is required. KTP is exactly the problem in most cases, but that too gets solved eventually“, Lukić explains.

The Contractor in Niš is the Millenium Team, and the dynamics of works are as follows:

1.Varvarin – total lenght on the started section is 27,041.00m and 3 WWTP are planned

2.Vranje – total lenght:

-Kosovska St., sewage network 474,070m and atmospheric sewage 76,00m

-Bunoševac, sewage network 716,00m

-Save Kovačevića St., sewage network 460,00m

-Franša D Eperea St., sewage network 835,00m

3.Svrljig

– Ljubovačka St. towards Mrgodova St., sewage network 191,00m

-Ljubovačka St. towards Mrgodova St., sewage network 138,20m

-Rosulja, sewage network 487,00m

-One WWTP is planned for Svrljig

Works on the construction of the sewage network in Banja Vrujci have commenced

Posted on 3. April 2022. by administrator

The works on the construction of the sewage network for which the Government of the Republic of Serbia has allocated 1.2 billion RSD have commenced in four settlements in Banja Vrujci. In hamlets Piskavica, Visnja, Krstovo brdo and Ljiski put, 8.5 kilometers of sewage network will be constructed. The works were toured by the President of the Municipality of Mionica Boban Jankovic who has emphasised the importance of implementation of this Project which is a historical investment for the Municipality of Mionica and Banja Vrujci.

– We have begun with the implementation of the Project, the one which residents of Vrujci have wated for way too long. It was not easy to prepare the documentation and to start addressing this problem. But today we are here to confirm that we have succeeded and that residents of this part of the municipality after years and years of waiting finally solve the problem of sewage, but also that of wastewater drainage. Aside from the sewage network, we will also build a wastewater purifier. It is something we truly need. Banja Vrujci exudes exceptional nature and we must take all possible measures to protect it. Here, spa tourism is heavily present and we plan to improve it, and we will succeed in doing so if we previously provide proper infrastructure – said the President of the Municipality of Mionica.

The implementation of the “Clean Serbia” Project, which plans the execution of works on the construction of wastewater treatment plants, sewage network and pumping stations, has actually commenced in Mionica last year, when the works on construction of sewage network began in Jasenje, which have been completed recently.

The fecal sewage network will cover all settlements, which were previously lacking in the sewage network, in the Municipality of Mionica: Jasenje, Divcibarski put, Brezdjanska, Kovacevica put, Tesanovica put, Kneza Grbovica krak, Kevica sokace, part of Aleksandar Obrenovic, Dragojevica strana, Milana Stanisica, Obilaznica, Djurdjevica sokak, Novakovici sokak, Pajici sokak, Rankovici sokak, Jevtovica sokak, Antonijevici sokak, Valjevski put.

In Mionica on April 2^nd 2022