Nikšićka Gračanica is still the most polluted river

Even after four years, as the "Geography for All" team has been conducting research into the factors affecting water pollution in Nikšić polje, the situation has not changed: the largest number of factors affecting water pollution are located on the Zeta, Gračanica and Bistrica rivers.

"This year, on the one hand, the situation was better than in previous years, and on the other hand, we have a worse situation. Before the examined period, we had high water on the water courses in Nikšić polje, which carried all the waste downstream. Thus, we have a reduction in factors near Bistrica, Rastovac, Zeta and Sušice, while in Gračanica and Mrkošnica we have the same number of factors as in the previous year. Only in Vidrovan and Trebješki vrela we have an increase in the number of factors. In the water courses where there was a decrease in factors, an increase in municipal waste was recorded in the river bed itself, which leads us to the conclusion that the illegal dumpsites that existed on the banks, due to the rise of water in the river bed, were carried downstream", the geographer and founder of "Geography for All" told "Vijesti" Ivan Mijanovitab.

This year's survey, which included, as in previous years, the rivers Vidrovan, Sušica, Rastovac, Gračanica, Bistrica, Mrkošnica and Zeta, was conducted from December 30 last year to January 8 this year.

"What was particularly interesting this year, compared to previous years, was the presence of animal waste on the rivers Vidrovan and Bistrica, but also in the area of ​​the Gornjepoljski vir. Given that there was a slaughterhouse period before our research, the resulting waste ends up in watercourses. The water did not take everything away, or it took it downstream, where it remained, since the high waters receded," said Mijanović.

As this year's research, unlike the previous ones, was conducted in the winter, according to Mijanović, there was no burning of waste.

"Just as we have been saying for three years in a row that the Gračanica river is the most devastated river in Montenegro, this year it holds that title as well. The erosive process in the river continued, which left traces on some bridges, and the river began to undermine them in places. Regarding Vidrovan and Sušica, the dominant factors that affect their waters are communal and mixed waste and facilities for breeding livestock.At the large landfill near Gornjepoljski Vir, we have again established a landfill of animal waste, significantly larger than the previous year, and on the river Vidrovan, near the site from which Nikšić is supplied with water, depositing animal waste," said the founder of "Geography for All".

The dominant factors that affect the water quality of the Rastovac River are municipal and mixed waste, while in Mrkošnica it is municipal waste, the increase of which was recorded in the riverbed itself, while there are also certain areas where waste has been removed from the shore and riverbed.

Municipal and mixed waste, as well as storm water, have the greatest effect on the water quality of Trebješki vrela, while the river Bistrica is mostly polluted by industrial and municipal water, municipal waste and livestock breeding facilities. And Zeta suffers the most from municipal and mixed waste, as well as from livestock facilities.

"Compared to last year, there was an increase in municipal waste in the river bed of the Zeta River, while this year, unlike the previous one, we did not have the appearance of animal waste. When we look at the cumulative results so far, the situation has worsened compared to 2019, when we have started research," Mijanović pointed out.

Only the Bistrica and Mrkošnica rivers saw a decrease in the number of factors compared to 2019, while the biggest increase was recorded in Gračanica - from 29, as many as there were in 2019, to 42, as many as were recorded in the last survey.