The Municipality of Bijelo Polje is an economic and cultural centre in the northern Montenegrin region. It is the third largest municipality in terms of population and fourth by territory in Montenegro.
The wastewater collection system in Bijelo Polje was originally designed as a separate (rather than combined) system, that is, surface rainwater drainage and wastewater from households and nondomestic sources (sewage) are not drained into the same system. The existing sewerage system has no pumping station and the wastewater is discharged directly to the Lim River and its tributaries. No treatment is provided at any of the sewer outfalls. In areas of Bijelo Polje, the remaining ‘unconnected’ population discharges into septic tanks with overflows to the open channels. Generally, wastewater mixed with stormwater is discharged in the nearby open flows and rivers.
In order to improve the hygienic conditions in Bijelo Polje, safeguard the potable water resources and protect the environment in the areas located downstream and under the influence of the river Lim, it is planned to construct the wastewater treatment plant on the left side of the highway Bijelo Polje-Podgorica near the left bank of the river Lim, approximately 5 km north from the Bijelo Polje city center.
The investment is planned to be implemented in three phases within 20 years period:
The final capacity of the Bijelo Polje WWTP is planned for 40.000 PE (population equivalent). Within the first phase, the constructed capacity of WWTP will reach 20.000 PE.
This investment will protect water quality in the River Lim as well as downstream watercourses (such as the River Drina and ultimately the River Danube) and prevent further pollution caused by discharging untreated wastewater, in order to improve living conditions (public health and aesthetics) for the inhabitants of Bijelo Polje and surrounding urban areas.