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EU funds for drinking water supply in Pomurje and Posavje and wastewater collection and treatment in Meža river basin

Ljubljana, 29 July 2013 – Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, acting as the Managing Authority for the EU structural funds and the Cohesion Fund, issued a decision awarding EU funds for three environmental projects. Two projects are related to drinking water supply in Pomurje (so-called system B) and Posavje, the third project is related to wastewater collection and treatment in the Meža river basin in Ravne na Koroškem. The overall estimated value of the mentioned projects, which are foreseen to be closed by the end of 2015, amounts to 75.5 million Euros. The Cohesion Fund contribution amounts to 42.5 million Euros.

The realisation of the project, worth 49.5 million Euros, of the Pomurje system B will provide drinking water supply in the area of twelve municipalities on the left bank of the Meža river or to over 57,000 inhabitants. Public drinking water supply will be improved as over 10,000 inhabitants will be connected to the water system. The project, which will be co-financed by the European Union under the Cohesion Fund in the amount of 28.5 million Euros, includes twelve municipalities in Pomurje: Beltinci, Cankovo, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Hodoš, Kuzma, Moravske Toplice, Murska Sobota, Puconci, Rogašovci, Šalovci and Tišina.

The project includes the construction of water supply system in the length of approximately 228.5 kilometres with the facilities such as reservoirs, pumping stations and shafts; the project also foresees the arrangement of water sources and the construction of a control centre. The construction of connecting transport pipelines would connect the existing local public water systems.

In the area of Pomurje water supply is insufficient with frequent problems of adequate water supply due to polluted water and, in some areas, the water supply systems have not yet even been constructed. The main objective of the overall project Drinking water supply in Pomurje, which is divided into three systems, namely A, B and C, is to ensure a safe and permanent quality drinking water supply for the inhabitants. The mentioned systems are independent technically and financially concluded units.

The decisions for awarding the EU funds have, thus, been issued for all three water supply systems in Pomurje. The overall value of all three systems amounts to 142.4 million Euros of which the European Union contribution – under the Cohesion Fund – amounts to 86.7 million Euros.

In the framework of the second approved project, which is worth 15.2 million Euros, namely the project of the hydraulic improvements of the water supply system in Posavje, three municipalities joined forces – Krško, Kostanjevica ob Krki and Brežice. The project aims at hydraulic improvements of approximately 51.5 kilometres of pipelines and newly constructing approximately 13.9 kilometres of additional water supply systems. The project, which will be co-financed by the European Union under the Cohesion Fund in the amount of 7.8 million Euros, will provide a safer and better drinking water supply, adequate infrastructure for drinking water supply as well as increase the number of inhabitants who are provided with water from the drinking water systems with provided monitoring.

The last, third, approved project relates to the first set of wastewater collection and treatment in the Meža river basin, namely in the area of the municipality Ravne na Koroškem. The project, which is worth 10.8 million Euros and which will be co-financed by the European Union in the amount of 6.2 million Euros, aims at the construction of a central treatment plant with the capacity of 12,000 population units, approximately 4.7 kilometres of connecting channels and two pumping stations as well as two retention basins.

The project will reduce the environmental burden as the treatment plant will contribute to the treatment of wastewaters which will no longer pollute watercourses; the construction of the integrated system of wastewater collection and treatment will also improve the quality of surface and ground waters as well as improve the living conditions and the health of the local inhabitants.

The funds of the Operational Programme for the Development of the Environmental and Transport Infrastructure for the period 2007-2013, which is worth the 1.57 billion Euros, are primarily meant for the modernisation or construction of new infrastructure in the field of environment and transport. The smaller share of these funds is also meant for the projects in the field of sustainable energy use.