The newly constructed Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) was officially opened in Bijeljina on 24 February 2016. This is a result of partnership and cooperation between the European Union, authorities at all levels, including the City of Bijeljina, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) aimed at improving water quality and contributing to a cleaner environment in Bijeljina.
“The main objective of this project – supported by EU grants in the total amount of 6.5 million euro – is to prevent further pollution of the underground water used as a source of potable water, thus reducing the health hazard for citizens of Bijeljina,” said Melvin Asin, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to BiH. He also emphasised the importance of the European Union’s high standards in the area of water management which BiH, as a country aspiring to join the EU, needs to comply with.
WWTP is a biological treatment facility based on the SBR (Sequencing Batch Reactor) technology with the capacity for a 40,000 population equivalent with the possibility of a phased increase (80,000:160,000 population equivalents).
Mićo Mićić, Mayor of Bijeljina pointed out that the City of Bijeljina has waited for decades to have a functional waste water system. “Environmental protection is an important part of the development strategy of Bijeljina and with the help of our donors we were able to solve a problem of 25.000 septic tanks that represented a threat to citizens’ health,” Mićić underlined.
Marie Bergstrom, Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden in BiH expressed satisfaction that the new plant will prevent the rivers’ pollution by 650 tons of waste per year.
Opening of the WWTP marked the end of the second phase of the project Construction of the water supply system and the sewerage network in Bijeljina. The first phase of the project was completed in December 2010.
The EU grant totals 6.5 million euro (3.5 million under IPA National Programme 2009 for BiH and 3 million under IPA Municipal Windows). The investments were also contributed by the City of Bijeljina and through SIDA and EBRD loans.
