Water quality is one of the criteria that Montenegro must meet in order to close Chapter 27 - Environment and Climate Change. The construction of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) is crucial for preserving the health of the population and protecting the environment.
There are currently ten WWTPs operating in Montenegro (Podgorica, Mojkovac, Budva, Herceg Novi, Nikšić, Pljevlja, Šavnik, Berane, Žabljak, and a joint plant for Tivat and Kotor). However, the WWTPs in Herceg Novi and Pljevlja are operating at the necessary minimum, with the sludge treatment lines not completed, and the plants in these cities do not have an operating permit.
In Podgorica, the load of collected wastewater is approximately twice the capacity of the existing collector, which is 46 years old, and the construction of a new one is accompanied by problems, although significant funds have already been invested. There are 90.309 connections to the city water supply system in the capital, while only 58.718 of that number have a connection to the sewage system, so that water from more than 30.000 connections flows directly into the Morača River, polluting Lake Skadar.
In accordance with Chapter 27, Montenegro has set a goal to increase the sewerage connection rate to 2035 percent by 93. The situation in 2024 shows that only 55,8 percent of the population is covered by wastewater collection systems. The situation is even worse with secondary wastewater treatment at 33 percent, and tertiary treatment at only 22,9 percent of the total load.
The Government's Wastewater Management Plan (2020-2035) envisages the construction of 885 kilometers of collector network and 29 plants to ensure complete wastewater treatment in all municipalities by 2035.
This will be an expensive undertaking as the total investment costs are estimated at 472 million euros. It is planned that 54 percent of the project will be financed from EU funds and 43 percent from national sources. According to available data, which Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN-CG) analyzed, half of the total amount has been spent so far, and not a single plant has been fully commissioned, and some municipalities have not even started implementing wastewater treatment projects.
The serious challenge of water quality, and the inadequate construction and functioning of existing WWTPs, was pointed out in May this year by Coalition 27. This is stated in the shadow report for Chapter 27, prepared by this coalition, which brings together the most important organizations dealing with environmental protection.
Milija Čabarkap, executive director of the NGO Eko-tim, told CIN-CG that the activities so far have been partial and unevenly distributed, with large differences in dynamics and approach among municipalities.
He believes that, although a clear strategic direction has been adopted and a number of projects have been launched, their implementation has often been slowed down due to administrative obstacles, financial constraints and insufficient inter-institutional coordination.
Pljevlja: Multi-year challenges, partial functionality and new investments
"One of the problems is the case of Pljevlja, where, despite the fact that the WWTP has been built, the plant is not operating at full capacity, because the sewage system does not meet the designed conditions. Also, different types of water are mixed," Čabarkapa points out.
Head of the WWTP in Pljevlja, mechanical engineering specialist Admir Ibragic tells CIN-CG that the multi-year saga surrounding the construction and full operation of the WWTP in Pljevlja is still not over. Although the facility was designed as a modern station for a capacity of 28.000 residents, with the possibility of expansion to 42.000 residents, it still faces serious infrastructure and operational problems.
"Due to the suspension of works and the non-functioning of the sludge line and gas line, the WWTP could not obtain an operating permit or pass technical acceptance. Therefore, the Municipality of Pljevlja announced a tender for 'Performing the remaining works on the constructed WWTP' in the amount of 483.000 euros, for which the company was engaged Plastic technique from Belgrade. They, in cooperation with the new technical acceptance commission, should find a solution for obtaining a usage permit,” the head of the WWTP told CIN-CG.
The problems with this plant began when the Spanish company Aqualia Infrastructuras left the construction site in May 2020, leaving the plant unfinished. The Spaniards left due to additional costs, as the plant was receiving more wastewater than planned due to the lack of separation of sewage and stormwater. However, at the end of the same year, the WWTP was partially put into operation thanks to the engagement of the Nikšić-based company Mont-energo.
Ibragić explains that due to the non-functionality of key segments of the sludge line and the gas line, the plant could not pass technical acceptance or receive an operating permit. The Municipality of Pljevlja therefore announced a tender for the completion of the works, which went to the Belgrade company Tehnika plast. The works were financed from funds left over from the previous contractor, and were completed in April 2023. However, even these works did not solve all the problems.
Currently, the Pljevlja plant has a water line that purifies wastewater from impurities such as rags, sand, grease and oil, as well as a part of the sludge line that allows for the production of sludge as a final product in centrifugal decanters. However, the gas line and a significant part of the sludge line, including the primary clarifier, tanks and digesters, are still out of operation.
To date, around 7,5 million euros have been invested in projects related to wastewater collection and treatment in Pljevlja. The largest part of the funds, 6,5 million, relates to the construction of the WWTP itself, while an additional million was spent on the construction of the main five-kilometer-long fecal collector.
In 2024, another 247.000 euros have been allocated for the continuation of the construction and modernization of the sewage network. In parallel, the design of the second phase of the sewage network is underway, which includes the separation of fecal and atmospheric sewage, as well as the expansion of the existing network by 42 kilometers. The value of this project is estimated at almost 9,6 million euros.
Without facilities 14 municipalities
And in 14 municipalities, which are only in the early stages of implementing the water treatment project, numerous problems are present. For example, there are many open questions in Rožaje. The work on the plant that will be used jointly by Gusinje and Plav is also accompanied by challenges. The work in Kolašin has not yet started because no company has applied for the tender for the construction of the WWTP, although the funds have mostly been secured.
“It is important that the conditions are met now, as the development and implementation of such projects require years of work and close coordination between central authorities and municipalities that will own and operate these facilities,” the EU Delegation told CIN-CG. They also believe that Montenegro can achieve the goal that every municipality or settlement with over 2000 inhabitants can build a WWTP by 2035 “provided that there is a clear political commitment to this priority, as well as the necessary financial and human resources are provided,” the EU Delegation said.
Environmental activist Milija Čabarkap says that the current situation in the field of WWTP in Montenegro indicates some progress, but also serious challenges. “Although a solid legislative and strategic framework has been established, practice shows that the coverage of the population with treatment services remains low.”
The shadow report, prepared by civil society organizations, Coalition 27, warns that "although the Action Plan for Chapter 27 provides for the establishment of a reporting system on the implementation of this plan, to date the practice of regular publication of reports has not been established, and the last available report dates from 2020, which indicates the need for greater transparency and institutional monitoring of the implementation of planned obligations."
Numerous problems
"Technically, the commitments undertaken towards the EU can be fulfilled, but this depends on numerous factors, such as ensuring stable financing, strengthening local and state capacities, more efficient project management and the existence of political will. Without a coordinated approach and engagement of all stakeholders, there is a real risk that the set deadlines, including the key date of 31 December 2035, will not be met," Čabarkapa points out.
He states that the problems are numerous and multifaceted. Among the most pronounced are financial constraints, especially at the local level, which often slow down or prevent work.
Procedural complications, such as lengthy public procurement procedures, unresolved property rights, and inconsistent project documentation, further complicate the implementation of plans.
Local community resistance to the construction of WWTPs in certain locations often only emerges in the advanced stages of the project, which can lead to delays and even complete discontinuation of implementation. CIN-CG has already written in detail about the long-standing opposition of the residents of Botuni to the construction of a new plant for Podgorica in this town.
In addition, there are technical challenges, such as differences between designed and actual wastewater characteristics, which can jeopardize the functionality of the plant.
Insufficient public involvement and weak capacity to manage such complex projects further complicate the situation.
Slow implementation in Rožaje and Kolašin
The Municipality of Rožaje is in the final phase of preparations for the implementation of the project for the construction of a wastewater treatment system. The technical documentation is in the process of revision, and in parallel, the tender documentation for the selection of the contractor is being prepared. The process of selecting the supervisory body to monitor the works is also underway, given the complexity of the facility.
It is interesting that in this municipality, preparations for the implementation of the WWTP have been ongoing since 2012, and several million have been invested from the state, municipal and donor budgets so far. And the plant is not even in sight yet. After the preliminary and main design were developed, multiple revisions of the feasibility studies followed in 2012, 2019 and 2022. Studies on the assessment of environmental impact and expropriation were also carried out. Of the concrete things, only the river embankment in the city center and three feasibility studies were done, which cost 1,6 million.
Due to geological and hydrological constraints, the original gravity solution was rejected in favor of a new variant with a pumping station. A draft Environmental Impact Assessment Study was prepared in December 2024.
Fikret Kuč, head of the Development Project Development Service of the Municipality of Rožaje, told CIN-CG that "the total value of the facility is 16,2 million euros. The largest part of 11,2 million euros was paid for by a donation from the European Union, the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), and five million is financed by a loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB)."
The study states that there is no significant negative impact on the environment, odors, surroundings, or health of the population. The problem is the sludge that remains after wastewater treatment, and this is an issue that the Government of Montenegro will address systematically for all municipalities, representatives of the Municipality of Rožaje told CIN-CG.
The project is part of a joint financial package that includes WWTPs and networks in the municipalities of Mojkovac and Kolašin. Postponing the Rožaje project would jeopardize the total investment worth at least 35 million euros.
Not everything is going according to plan in Kolašin either. A tender for a contractor for the WWTP was recently announced, but no bids were received, so it was cancelled. A tender for supervision was also announced, and the selection decision is in the process of being made. So far, the Municipality has not spent any funds for the project, but a decision has been made on a loan and a grant agreement has been signed.
"Currently, the main problem we are facing is the cancellation of the tender, because no bids were received, so it must be re-announced, which further slows down the implementation of the aforementioned project," the Municipality of Kolašin states.
Mojkovac has a natural wastewater treatment system.
The plant itself was built in 2008, while the reed fields that complemented it were completed in 2016. The project has cost 2,4 million euros so far.
The Municipality of Mojkovac told CIN-CG that the tender procedure for the implementation of the project "Improvement of the Wastewater Management System in the Municipality of Mojkovac" is underway: "This project envisages the separation of fecal and atmospheric sewage, as well as the construction of a sewage network in suburban settlements with a length of about 20 kilometers."
The issue of hazardous waste disposal has not yet been systematically resolved in the Municipality of Mojkovac. However, the Municipality told us that "sewage sludge in Mojkovac is not produced in the classical form, because the problem has been solved by applying the reed field system. This natural system enables efficient purification without the creation of sludge, which contributes to environmentally friendly wastewater management."
Mojkovac is a rare example where the invested funds have yielded results. In most other municipalities, millions are invested, and the water is still cloudy. Obviously, something is wrong either with the projects or with the implementation, because even the facilities in which huge funds have been invested, generally do not function as they should.
The plant in Herceg Novi is operating without a permit - major reconstruction announced
The plant in Herceg Novi is still operating without a technical acceptance and operating permit, but within the framework of legally prescribed standards. Although it is in a kind of "trial operation", the authorities claim that the quality of the purified water meets all prescribed parameters.
Work on this project began in the fall of 2012, and according to the original contract, it was scheduled to be completed in early 2014. Although it has not been fully completed to date, trial work has been ongoing since 2016.
Regular analyses are carried out by an accredited laboratory of the Institute of Public Health, and the results show that the water leaving the system meets legal standards. However, technical and infrastructural challenges continue to seriously burden the system.
The WWTP is currently operating at the bare minimum. The sludge line is not yet completed, and the waste sludge is temporarily stored in one active SBR reactor (sequential biological reactor), which is not a long-term solution.
The Government of Montenegro has therefore approved significant assistance - five million euros for the complete reconstruction of the WWTP in this coastal city. The documentation is under consideration, and a tender for the works is expected. This reconstruction should permanently resolve the infrastructural deficiencies of the plant, which has so far operated at a limited capacity.
"So far, investments in the construction and maintenance of the WWTP and the accompanying sewage infrastructure in Herceg Novi have reached almost nine million euros," Borivoje Đekić, acting executive director of the Herceg Novi Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, told CIN-CG, adding that around 700.000 euros are allocated annually for wastewater collection and treatment projects.
Bonus video:
