New reservoir for regular supply: Pljevlja plans to modernize water supply network

The Municipality of Pljevlja is planning the reconstruction of the Jugoštica-Bogiševac water supply system, one of the significant subsystems for the city's water supply, and the project envisages the renovation of main and secondary pipelines, the construction of a new reservoir and the expansion of the distribution network towards the settlement of Guke.

According to the documentation submitted as part of the decision-making process on the need for an environmental impact assessment, the reconstruction of the transport pipeline with a length of 5.177 meters, the secondary network with a length of 3.543 meters, as well as the construction of a new reservoir with a volume of 100 cubic meters are planned. The plan also includes the construction of a distribution network for the Guke settlement.

The Jugoštica subsystem is one of the older sources of water supply for Pljevlja. The source is located a few kilometers northwest of the city, and its yield ranges from five to as much as 250 liters of water per second. The water is transported by gravity to the “Bogiševac” reservoir, from where it is distributed to consumers in the high zone.

The documentation states that the current state of the water supply system is unsatisfactory, and that some parts of the city have problems with water restrictions throughout the year. A particular problem is the large losses in the network, which was built over the past decades without a unified concept.

"The existing system was built rather haphazardly and without a clear concept. It is necessary to urgently take measures to modernize, reconstruct and upgrade the system," the documentation states.

Experts also point to the problem of protecting the Jugoštica spring itself. Sanitary protection zones have not been established, while the immediate protection of the catchment facility is assessed as very poor. The fence around the facility is damaged, and access to the catchment is also possible through an overflow opening. An additional risk is the karst terrain, due to which any possible pollution can very quickly reach the groundwater.

The planned reconstruction envisages the installation of a new transport pipeline made of polyethylene pipes with a diameter of 225 millimeters, which will follow the route of the existing pipeline. The new reservoir, called "Mala Bogiševac II", will be connected to the existing system and will enable a safer water supply to the surrounding settlements, but also to supplement the existing reservoir with a volume of 1.200 cubic meters.

The project also envisages the introduction of a modern system for chlorination and water quality control. Equipment for continuous measurement of residual chlorine content will be installed in the reservoir, and the collected data will be linked to the existing chlorine station.

Special attention is paid to the distribution network in the Guke settlement. The construction of almost two and a half kilometers of new pipelines is planned, as well as 46 water supply nodes with connections for households. New manholes and connections will be built in several streets, while the installation of nine underground hydrants is planned to improve fire protection.