Conference on water reforms and wastewater projects in Skopje

The National Water Conference, addressing the issue of water service reforms and their implications was organized by the Ministry of environment and physical planning and EPTISA, international consulting company in Macedonia’s capital Skopje.

Addressing the conference audience, Minister Bashkim Ameti said that in 2016 Macedonia started the construction of three wastewater treatment plants, in Kičevo, Strumica and Radoviš, and two sewerage networks – in Kumanovo and Berovo.

Documentation for the construction of wastewater treatment in Skopje is in the final phase, and the technical documentation for construction of wastewater treatment facilities in Veles, Štip, Gostivar, Debar and Kavadarci are in preparation.

The goal of water service reforms is to ensure better protection of waters, reduce water losses, establish better management of water and wastewater infrastructure, and improve services to citizens. To achieve this goals, the Ministry is trying to provide funds for these investments.

“EU prioritizes the issue of water management, and the reform of the water sector should be one of our top priorities in Macedonia”, said EU Ambassador in Macedonia, Samuel Žbogar.

Dimitar Petrov, Energy Regulatory Commission president, pointed out the new role of the Commission to establish the effective system of water services pricing by the Law on Setting Prices of Water Services.

In 2016, the Ministry of the environment and physical planning, supported by EU, started the implementation of three projects in Macedonia: “Reform in the system for water supply, collection, and treatment at the local level”, “Development of National Water Study” and “Reform in water sector on the central level”.

These projects are expected to bring changes in the water services and to increase the capacity of all parties involved for meeting new requirements on local and state level, MIA reported.