The urban sewer network in Mitrovica dates from the late 1960s and has been gradually expanded over the years to include most of the urban area; connectivity is low at around 59%. Wastewater provision in the outlying areas is either under-developed or non-existent. The sewer network collects foul flows and industrial waste and discharges it directly into the Ibar, Llushta and Sitnica water bodies, untreated, at over 60 locations. Consequently, there is a high level of pollution in the main rivers that pass through the urban centres which combined with the poor rural sanitation has the potential to contaminate drinking water sources, increasing the public health risk.
This investment concerns the rehabilitation and expansion of wastewater infrastructure in Mitrovica and its neighbouring communities, and the construction of the first WWTP at the conjunction of Rivers Iber and Sitnica in South Mitrovica, designed for a future capacity of 123,000 pe (population equivalent).
By providing access to improved sanitation services to the local population through enhanced wastewater collection and treatment capacities, the investment will considerably reduce the volumes of raw wastewater and its associated pollutant loads that will be discharged into the Iber, Llushta and Sitnica Rivers and eventually to the Danube. Moreover, the enhanced wastewater collection capacity will also reduce the contamination risk of groundwater through leaking septic tanks.
