Although the regional water supply system, one of the most valuable investments in Montenegro in recent decades, was officially put into operation last year, some cities still do not use the benefits of that network, so they welcome this year with anxiety as to whether they will be able to provide enough water.
In addition to this, there is also the problem that some areas, such as Dobra Voda in the municipality of Bar, do not have a built-up water network, so they will not be able to get even a drop of water from the pipeline.
Bar and Ulcinj without connection
As Zoran Bošnjak, director of the Public Enterprise "Regionalni vodovod" told "Vijesti", the municipality of Bar, although the conditions to connect to the regional water supply were obtained in August last year, are still building a connection of about 550 meters, which is needed to this undertaking would be completed.
"By June 15, the technical acceptance of the branch to the Šušanj reservoir will be carried out, after which all conditions will be created for the use of water from the regional water supply system," say JP Vodovod i Kanalizacija Bar.
At a meeting with the mayor of the municipality, Žarko Pavićević, the director of Vodovod, Gojko Šuster, said that these quantities of water will enable the improvement of water supply for consumers from the first altitude zone in the area of Topolica, Bjeliš and Ahmetovo brijeg, and for consumers from Polje and Sutomore, to which the water will be directed. from local sources.
"The water supply in the area of the Municipality at the very beginning of the season is at a satisfactory level and there are no complaints from citizens about its possible disturbances, except when there is a failure due to the wear and tear of the network," said the Water Supply Company.
According to the same statements, all the available capacities of the springs Velje oko and Orahovo polje have not yet been activated, and by putting them into full operation, water supply to Bar will be even more reliable. Currently, 80 out of a possible 195 liters of water per second enters the bar water system from these springs.
As for the works on the route of the Regional Water Supply (RV) towards Ulcinj, the president of the Board of Directors of JP Regional Water Supply of the Montenegrin Coast, Miodrag Pejović, told "Vijesti" that everything is going according to plan.
For two years, we have been insisting that networks be developed on the coast to the users, it is a shame to bring quality water without it reaching the settlements
"By June 15, we will reach Dobra Voda, which is about 3,5 kilometers along the route from Ćafa. Part of the route in the trunk of the main road Bar - Ulcinj has already been completed and the road will be cleaned over the weekend, and then there will be a stoppage of work during the season.
Work will be done only on the part of the land under the bridges where tourism will not be disturbed. We will create the conditions for water to be released in this built-up area already on June 15.
For two years, we have been insisting that networks be developed on the coast to the users, it is a shame to bring quality water without it reaching the settlements. After the summer, we will continue to Ulcinj, where we will arrive in May next year," said Pejović.
It's a two-three day job, if we get a request on Monday the water will be turned on by the end of the week
As for the connection of the bar network to RV, Pejović said that the water will be released immediately after receiving the request for connection. The pipeline has already been cleaned of dirt, and after the request, its disinfection will be carried out,
"It is a job of two or three days, if we receive the request on Monday, the water will be released by the end of the week," he added.
The Ulcinj utility company expects that the city's water supply during the season will be regular and at least at the level of last year when tourists were satisfied. Ulcinj is supplied with water from 18 pumps at the sources of Lisna Bori, Gač, Klezna, as well as from the city pump. "Vijesti" learned from the utility company that the city is currently supplied with about 170 liters of water per second.
"In the peak season, the pumps will be in maximum operation. We expect that the city and the surrounding area will then receive more than 250 liters of quality water per second," the utility company told Vijesti. Last week, Ulcinj had an irregular water supply for several days, and in the communal sector this is explained by a breakdown, that is, the repair of transmission lines in Vladimir and Bar.
"All our pumps are supplied with electricity from that transmission line. If there are no problems with electricity this season, there will be water for everyone," they say in the utility company.
Bošnjak says that the connection of Ulcinj to the regional water supply is expected in May next year.
Budva and Tivat mostly have water
Thanks to the renovated water supply network in the city center, the municipality of Tivat has reduced losses as much as possible. For more than a year, the water supply system has been connected to the regional water supply system, from where water reaches consumers in the city and, when needed, to Krtol.
"The plan is to install a pressure regulator in the area of Solil in order to take larger quantities of water from the regional water supply. These works will be completed at the end of the month. The biggest problem of water supply in Tivat is that in the summer water is sent to us due to salinization of the sources of Plavda and Topliš.
That's why we are trying to make some measures to enable the taking of larger amounts of water from the regional water supply system, so that they do not distribute salt water in the summer," says the director of JP "Vodovod i kanalizacija" Čedo Lukić.
During the winter months, Tivat received 10 liters per second from the regional water supply system, and now receives 15 to 20 liters of water per second for the Krtol area.
Five companies applied for the tender for the pre-qualification works for the construction of the main sewage collector from Krašić to Solil in a length of 8 kilometers, distribution pipeline Krašići-Rogač-Obala Đurašević-Solil.
The opening of bids will take place on June 17, Tivat JP Vodovod i Kanalizacija pointed out, adding that the plan is to build 12 pumping stations, 6 on the main line, and 6 that will raise waste water from lower zones.
"As part of the works that will begin in the fall, a transit pipeline with a diameter of 450 millimeters will be built to the future Rogač reservoir. As part of the construction of a new local road from Solil to upper Đurašević, a new pipeline with a diameter of 450 millimeters will be built in order to improve the water supply of Radović and the future tourist facilities of Luštica Divilpoment and Katari diar" points out Lukić, adding that the condition for connection to the regional water supply is the existence of a reservoir.
The biggest problem in the water supply of Krtol and the southern parts of the municipality is the dilapidated water supply network
After the completion of these works and the construction of the reservoir, there will be no obstacles to connecting the southern parts of the municipality to the regional water supply system, which until last year was supplied by Budva's "Merkur".
The biggest problem in the water supply of Krtol and the southern parts of the municipality is the dilapidated water supply network. On the main pipeline 250 across the coast of Đurašević and 225 in Krašići, Tivat's Vodovod had over 160 ruptures of the main network, they point out in this Tivat public company.
According to Lukić, before last summer, a kilometer and a half pipeline was built from the Tivat reservoir to Marić and the Porto Montenegro marina connected to the reconstructed Podkuk reservoir with a capacity of 560 cubic meters.
The people of Budva have had no problems with water for a few years now, except occasionally in some rural areas, at higher elevations. Namely, Budva was connected to the Regional Water Supply last year, with three connections, which mostly solved the decade-long problems it had in trying to ensure a regular supply of water during the peak season.
As announced by JP Vodovod i kanalizacija in Budva, this year there will be water for everyone. The desalination plant that was recently built to get more water into the network is unlikely to be used this season.
Newcomers do not know where to connect
For almost half a century, the municipality of Hercegnov has been dealing with occasional water shortages. Local springs are insufficient to meet the needs of a city of about 40 inhabitants.
When the water supply system Plat - Debeli brijeg was built a little more than three decades ago, with the self-contribution of citizens, the largest city of Bokelje did not have such problems for a while.
Restrictions were introduced once a year when the hydrotunnel through which water from Trebišnjica, i.e. Lake Bilećko came to the hydroelectric plant on Plata, was cleaned, and then through a 22-kilometer long pipeline through Konavle in neighboring Croatia, it reached consumers in Herceg Novi.
After the war in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, Konavljeni began to charge for the transport of water through their territory. Water then became a source of dispute, blackmail and contestation.
After the war in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, Konavljeni began to charge for the transport of water through their territory.
For a while, the neighbors avoided signing a new water transport contract, and the residents of Novlja avoided paying for transport, the price of which in certain periods was equal to the price of oil transport. At that time, the people of Konavle resorted to turning off the water. Disputes were settled in court.
According to the latest verdict of the Commercial Court from Podgorica, Herzegnovo Vodovod has started to pay a million debt to the Croatian side. In the same court, there is also a lawsuit from Novlja against Konavle.
Novljani from the Trebišnjica Plat system receive between 350 and 400 liters of water per second. Around 200 liters of water are provided from the local springs Opačica in Zelenica, Crnica na Podima and Potkop in Mojdež.
The solution to the problem is to connect Herceg Novi to the regional water supply, which is already brought to the Switch Chamber above the gas station in Tivat.
There are two solutions on how to connect to the regional water supply system, but the residents of Novlja have not officially declared themselves and for almost a year and a half they have not had any contact with the Regional Water Supply Company, nor have they been interested in the urban technical connection conditions.
The first solution has long been known. Four kilometers of pipeline should be built to Lepetan in the municipality of Tivat, and from there there is a submarine pipeline to Sveta Nejelje that connects the two sides of the Boktor coast.
In the local administration, however, they are closer to another solution. According to that variant, the pipeline would be built on Luštica to Pristan, and from there the water would reach Kumbor through the already existing pipeline used by the JNA Army and be further distributed.
The president of the municipality, Dejan Mandić, says that they are in negotiations with the company Nord Star, which leased the land in Luštica, to build part of the road, electrical and water infrastructure in Luštica, instead of a fee of 10 million euros for a building permit and other utilities. As part of that project, part of the pipeline to Pristan would also be solved. That work could be completed in two years, the first man of the city hopes.
From the regional water supply, the municipality of Herzegnov could receive about 200 liters of water per second, of which 70 liters would be destined for Luštica, where there is currently no municipal water supply. Never clearly defined, there is still a current initiative in some circles to build a pipeline parallel to the route of the Herceg Novi Trebinje road through which water from Bileć Lake, part of which territorially belongs to Montenegro, would reach Herceg Novi.
Zoran Šabanović, director of JP Vodovod, believes that local springs should be used more and included in the city's water supply system.
By all accounts, the municipality of Herzegovina could have enough water for drinking, even an excess, but the problem is how to coordinate and use everything rationally and in the best way.
Kotor is still in trouble
The director of the Kotor Waterworks, Vasilije Sevaljević, said that he expects the water supply to be better this season, and that in preparation for the tourist season, they have carried out a series of activities.
A temporary solution for the distribution of water from the Regional Water Supply to the Mecerov Brijeg reservoir was made. However, it is a solution that will not meet the needs of the population along the stretch of Dobrota, Ljuta, Orahovac to Risno.
"The needs on that stretch are about 150 liters per second, and with this solution we will get about 50 to 60 liters per second into the reservoir Metcerov Brijeg, with the fact that Stari Grad would be supplied with another line. Considering that last year at the beginning of August, the Kotor water supply system connected to the Regional water supply system, we covered the areas of Škaljara, upper Škaljara, Kavac, Pržice, the Industrial Zone, areas that were the most threatened in all the past years and that occasionally had salty water.
In addition to these settlements that are covered with water from the Regional Water Supply, in a pinch when we have a problem with our sources, the settlements of Rakite, Novo naselje, Kongo settlement, Prčanj hospital, Stoliv, Muo are covered by the underwater pipeline Kostanjica - Strp to Risno. Risan is supplied from the source in Orahvac.
"Due to the impossibility of distributing sufficient quantities towards Dobrota, that windy area will be problematic from the aspect of quality water supply until the final solution of connecting the Regional Waterworks with the Mecerov Brijeg reservoir through the contact zone is made, which again all depends on material possibilities," Ševaljević said.
He explains that the Regional Water Supply is connected to one point of the local water supply, and that the Kotor Water Supply does not have the technical ability to distribute water from the Regional Water Supply except on the mentioned routes.
"When the contact zone was built, a 400-millimetre pipeline was laid, which should continue from Gurdić to the Vrmac tunnel and from the intersection near Kamelija to the Mecerov brijeg reservoir, and that would be the final solution," Ševaljević said.
The Kotor water supply takes over 50 second liters in the winter and 100 second liters in the summer from the Regional water supply.
High prices if you spend a lot
As some users believe that the prices at which the Regional Waterworks charges water are too high, Bošnjak explained that the RV charges one price for the quantities of water agreed with the municipalities, while "additional" consumption is charged at other, drastically higher prices.
" Every month, at the point of connection, the amount of water received by a municipality from the Regional Waterworks is measured by commission. The price for the prescribed amount of water is 0,25 euros, and if this amount is exceeded, then 0,8 euros per cubic meter is charged.
However, we have a special arrangement with Budva, due to the larger amounts that this municipality consumes. For the people of Budva, every cubic meter of water is 0,45 euros," Bošnjak points out
He added that, according to the standards of the European Union, the average consumption is about 200 l per head per day, or 6 cubic meters per month.
Cetinje is still thirsty
Cetinje is a special story when it comes to water. Tourists who visit the capital this summer will be able, together with the locals, to only dream of water. Like Chuck Norris, from the joke circulating these days, according to which the famous action hero in Cetinje dreams of taking a shower.
The decades-long problem of Cetinje has allegedly started to be remedied this year, but the citizens are still not satisfied. For several months, the city has been "planned to be disconnected from the water supply network, in order to implement the program "Bringing the system into measurement condition", i.e. works on the implementation of the project of procurement and installation of flow meters in the water supply system".
The pressure we get is not enough to even take a shower, let alone turn on the machine
The latest plan, which has been implemented for almost a week, is to turn off the water in the period from 13:16 to XNUMX:XNUMX. Nevertheless, citizens complain about the way "the waterworks measures time". There are also those who, even after the "official opening of the taps", still have no water.
"The pressure we get isn't even enough to take a shower, let alone turn on the machine," complains the housewife, who has more and more laundry to wash.
"At the end of last year, the government formed a coordinating body, whose task is to rehabilitate the state of the water supply network in Cetinje, and the Regional Water Supply has a representative at the head of that body. We are trying to help the management of Cetinje to get out of this situation.
Certain measures are currently being implemented, such as the installation of water meters, to see where the losses are on the network. Cetinje has enough water, but a large part of that water is lost on the way to consumers," explains Zoran Bošnjak, adding that the restrictions should end in the next 6 or 7 days.
Water for Cetinje was also supposed to arrive from the Regional Waterworks, according to the original plan, according to which the water was supposed to be obtained from the spring on Karuč.
However, when the Boljesestre source option won, it was estimated that it was not rational to include Cetinje in that project, and that the water problem in the capital would be solved by reducing losses and rehabilitating the network.
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