Brezovik residents claim that wastewater from the hospital is flowing into Zeta

Residents of the Nikšić settlement of Brezovik claim that wastewater from the Special Hospital for Pulmonary Diseases "Dr Jovan Bulajić" in Brezovik is being discharged into the Zeta River, endangering not only the river and the environment, but also the residents of the area.

The Brezovik wastewater treatment plant was in a neglected state for a long time and the subject of complaints from citizens, and its maintenance was taken over by "Vodovod" in 2023.

"At the place where the wastewater is discharged into the Zeta, children regularly bathe and fishermen fish. Now it's a real infection there, because we all know what the wastewater from the hospital in Brezovik is like. There is a wastewater treatment system that was built about twenty years ago and it is clearly not functioning properly. The problem must be solved urgently, the competent services, inspections, local administration must be involved, because this is a real infection," the residents of Brezovik are outraged.

The Waterworks explained the condition of the plant, what has been done so far during the overhaul, and that the purified water settling process is not fully functioning at this time.

"Because of this, the discharged water has a higher level of suspended matter, or turbidity. Considering that this is a smaller plant with specific purification technology, maintenance is extremely demanding and expensive, but despite all the above, our professional services are continuously working to eliminate current problems and find the most efficient solutions, so that the plant can return to full operating capacity as soon as possible, in accordance with all environmental and technical standards," the response to "Vijesti" signed by the technical director of the Waterworks Zoran Danilovic.

He recalled that the wastewater treatment plant in Brezovik, which treats wastewater from the Brezovik Hospital and two residential buildings in the immediate vicinity, was built and put into operation 20 years ago.

"Over the years, there has been a certain degree of equipment wear and tear, which is a consequence of the passage of time and regular exploitation. Unfortunately, the ravages of time have left their mark, which is why additional steps are needed to revitalize certain parts of the plant. During 2023 and 2024, Vodovod Nikšić carried out an overhaul of the pre-treatment and biological treatment lines of the Brezovik wastewater treatment plant. Also, the pumps in the raw water pumping station and the pumps in the treated water pumping station were overhauled," explained Danilović.

Last year, on the occasion of World Water Day, the Water and Sewerage Department planted ten evergreen tree seedlings around the facility. The action was organized in cooperation with the Municipal Secretariat for Communal Affairs and Transport, the Ecological Movement “Ozon” and the Municipal Company.