World Water Day is celebrated every year on March 22, and the theme for 2025, announced by the United Nations, focuses on glacier protection. The UN emphasizes that glaciers are crucial for preserving life, as their melted water provides drinking water, supports agriculture, industry, clean energy production, and ecosystem preservation. This year’s theme aims to raise awareness about the rapid melting of glaciers due to climate change, which threatens global water supply and disrupts natural balance.

Glaciers account for approximately 69% of the planet’s freshwater, and their melted water directly affects ecosystems, rivers, and lakes worldwide. However, in Serbia, despite having significant water resources, the country faces challenges in maintaining water quality and availability. The quality of water in Serbia’s rivers varies, but many are heavily polluted due to the discharge of untreated industrial and municipal wastewater, as well as agricultural pollution, including pesticides and artificial fertilizers.

In the last six months, 65 locations in Serbia have faced water shortages, highlighting the concerning state of water resource management. The causes of this issue include the drying up of springs, rivers, and lakes, leaving many areas without water for drinking, agriculture, and basic daily needs.

Serbia is actively working on addressing the problems of sewage and wastewater treatment through the “Clean Serbia” project. This project aims to improve the ecological protection of water and land, which will enhance the quality of life for around 2.5 million residents in the affected municipalities.