Wastewater Collection and Treatment in Zenica

Improving wastewater services and quality of water in the river Bosna

Only 41% of the population of Bosnia and Herzego- vina (BiH) have access to wastewater services and only 16% of collected wastewater is treated. This is far below the needs to ensure a clean and healthy environment and reach standards as set in the directives of the European Union. Approximately 75% of the urban population of Zenica is connected to the municipal sewage network, while the local communities surrounding Zenica are not. The municipal wastewater is being discharged into the River Bosna without any treatment, mixed with industrial wastewater. The discharge of untreated wastewater leads to consid- erable pollution of the water in the river and health risks for the population.

The citizens in Zenica and downstream river Bosna benefit from the project

The project entails the construction of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), rehabilitation of the municipal sewage network and its extension, including main collectors, thus more population form local communities is connected to municipal sewage network. Project will ensure the complete separation of municipal and industrial wastewater and the integration of measures for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) as necessary. Additionally, support to the corporative development of the Public Water Utility will enable its commercial sustainability within a functioning institutional and regulatory framework in the sector of water services. Federal institutions will ensure the implementation of adequate measures by the industrial polluters directly discharging their wastewater in the River Bosna and their tributaries within the City of Zenica. Low scale measures for integrated urban development are planned. The project will positively affect over 200,000 people in Zenica and downstream settlements.

Large-scale investment for a sustainable environment

The Wastewater Zenica project is being implement- ed from 2018 to 2025, ensuring investments of 20.5 million EUR. The Government of Switzerland do- nates 5 million EUR and the German Government donates 14.5 million EUR through the German Devel- opment Bank (KfW). The City of Zenica contributes 1.0 million EUR. The project is a continuation of the ongoing partnership between the Swiss State Secretariat for Economy Affairs (SECO) and KfW in Zenica, for the improvement of the water supply system, capacity development of the Public Water Utility, and post-flood recovery and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).