Kotor has been facing the problem of increased water salinity in the area from Dobrota to Risan in recent days, and the executive director of the Regional Water Supply Company, Krsto Radović, says that the company is currently delivering the maximum amount of water that the existing system can handle.
Appearing on the show "Colors of Morning" on TV Vijesti, Radović said that he could not estimate how long the problem would last, because the situation on the distribution network is under the jurisdiction of the Kotor water utility.
"Regarding the Regional Water Supply System, we are providing all the capacities we currently have to Kotor and Tivat. We are also delivering more water than was contracted for this tourist season, but we are limited by the capacity of the existing pipeline," said Radović.
He stated that testing of the new Tivat-Jaz pipeline is underway, which includes flushing, disinfection and other technical procedures, and that the results are expected in seven to eight days.
According to him, the new pipeline could double transport capacity.
"Now we can deliver around 330 liters per second. With a parallel pipeline, the capacity would be around 700 liters per second, which would enable additional quantities of water for Kotor, Tivat, and in the future, Herceg Novi," said Radović.
Speaking about the possibility that problems with drinking water supply will persist throughout the summer, Radović assessed that Kotor will "push out the season", but warned that climate change poses an increasing challenge for water supply systems on the Montenegrin coast.
He pointed out that the Regional Water Supply Company is already taking measures to ensure sufficient water supplies in the long term, including revitalizing the Morača riverbed and building dams to protect the Bolje sestre spring.
He also announced the imminent commissioning of a lake water purification plant with a capacity of 125 liters per second.
"The plan is to build two more plants of 250 liters per second in the coming period. This would ensure a stable water supply to the Montenegrin coast in the long term, for the next fifteen years," said Radović.
He warned that, in addition to investments by the Regional Water Supply Company, significant investments by local water companies will also be necessary.
"Kotor was the first to feel the consequences of salinity, but other municipalities will also have problems if losses in the network are not reduced and new reservoirs are not built. The state will have to adopt a clear strategy for managing water resources," said Radović.
He added that the Regional Water Supply Company can currently only help by increasing water delivery within the limits of existing technical capabilities, while the possible earlier commissioning of the new pipeline will depend on the successful completion of testing.
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