WATSAN Programme in Republika Srpska

The project comprises a range of water and sanitation schemes for 27 municipalities widely spread throughout Republika Srpska (RS) entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The objective of the project is the protection of public health and environment from water pollution while maintaining a balanced development of water supply and sanitation as well as safeguarding the financial and operational viability of the water companies.

In close consultation with the project management unit (PMU) and EIB, the WBIF support has developed a highly productive modality for implementation of technical assistance based on identifying municipalities that require major infrastructure development such as a sewerage system, wastewater or drinking water treatment plants and source development, and those that need smaller intervention to extend and improve existing infrastructure such as extension of water supply mains or collectors, increased capacity of water wells, reduction of losses, and metering. The former group of municipalities received detailed project preparation feasibility studies while the latter group was supported through short project appraisal missions to examine detailed designs and other planning documents to check for consistency that they are in line with EIB financing requirements. Both feasibility studies and the project appraisal reports together with the project fiches are instrumental in leading to EIB loan financing and allocation of grant funding from IPA and other potential bilateral donor funds for proposed projects.

To date the deliverables of technical assistance include scoping reports for 23 municipalities, project appraisal reports and project fiches for priority subprojects for 12 municipalities, feasibility studies for water supply and wastewater collection and treatment for four municipalities, tender dossiers for two municipalities, and a wide range of other activities to support the work of PMU in management and implementation of the programme.

The project is expected to benefit a total of 450,000 inhabitants in the selected municipalities. The large number of proposed projects for improvements and extension of water supplies and development of adequate wastewater collection and treatment will make a significant contribution to an improvement in public health and the reduction of pollution in several trans-boundary rivers in Republika Srpska. The projects will also contribute to Bosnia and Herzegovina's pre-accession needs for compliance with the EU Drinking Water and Urban Wastewater Treatment Directives. 

For more detailed information about the programme, please see: Water and Sanitation Infrastructure in the Republic of Srpska