Government adopts Water Services Improvement Program in the Federation of BiH
At its 303rd session held in Sarajevo on 17 Feb 2022 , the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina passed the Water Services Improvement Program in the Federation of BiH and the utilization of the announced financial and technical support.
The program consists of the three segments laying out future activities that should contribute to eliminating the obstacles in the regulatory and institutional framework of the water services sector, including its financing.
Although significant investments have been made by international financing institutions and bilateral donors in the last decade across the country, the quality of water services has deteriorated, with decreased quality of potable water caused by pollution, higher leakage and water network losses, due to inadequate investment maintenance and resulting occurrence of outages in regular water supply. Water utilities do not generate sufficient income for self-sustainability and the average water service revenue levels do not cover the operational and maintenance costs.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry established an intersectoral working group tasked with the development of the Water Services Improvement Program. The group was supported through the MEG 2 Project technical assistance funded mutually by the governments of Switzerland, Sweden and Czech Republic, and implemented by UNDP in BiH.
“The Program provides for key activities that are to lead to better functioning of water supply services, primarily water utilities, as well as the activities contributing to better and more sustainable planning of development and implementation of water services projects as well as compliance with the relevant EU water legislation,” said Minister Dedić.
The program was subject of a wide public consultation process, and its adoption and implementation have been set as a clear requirement that the competent authorities at all levels need to meet in order to be eligible for further financial support intended for the water services modernization and reform by the international development partners.