Swiss Support to the Macedonian Water Sector

1. Swiss Cooperation Office Macedonia BALWOIS Conference, 31 May 2012, Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia Swiss Support to the Macedonian Water Sector Stanislava Dodeva

2. Republic of Macedonia Basic Information • Area: 25.713 km2, population: 2.055.000; • Available surface water resources: 6,372 billion m3/year; average 3.000 m3/capita/year; • Three major river basins: Vardar, Crn Drim and Strumica; • Three large natural lakes, 22 large dams with multipurpose water storages, more than 150 small dams; • Water supply coverage in urban areas: 82 – 100%; • Water supply coverage in rural areas: 10 -100%;

3. Sewage: 60% of dwellings connected to a public sewage system, 21% of dwellings have septic tanks, the rest have uncontrolled wastewater discharge; • Wastewater treatment service coverage: 13,5% of the total population with 6 operational WWTPs; • Water Law (2008, 2011) harmonized with the EU aquis.

4. History of Cooperation • Started in 1994, so far around CHF 40 million has been granted from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); • Interventions were addressing the immediate needs of the country, mainly wastewater treatment and monitoring equipment; • In 2004, a larger water portfolio was developed; • Cooperation Strategy 2009 – 2012, one of the two main domains became “Water and Environment”;

5. During this period, ad hoc interventions were transformed into systemic and tailored actions, meeting the needs of the country from different aspects; • Creation of a fully-fledged programme with a concept, clear goals and methodological approach.

6. Concept of Interventions • Interventions at all levels: • Central, • Regional/river basin, • Operational and • At level of population Central Level Problems: -Slow implementation of the Water Law, -Not yet established institutional set-up, -Not adequate financing system for covering the costs for implementation of the Water Law; -Lack of resources (financial, human, technical) Swiss Support: -Long term advisor for the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning on institutional, legal and financial issues; -Policy dialogue; -Capacity building of the central level administration

7. Regional / River Basin Level Problems: -Non existence of operational bodies for River Basin Management (RBM); -Lack of knowledge and experience for the RBM; -Lack of planning documents – RBM Plans; -Lack of finances for elaboration of the RBM Plans and implementation of the RBM Swiss Support: -Establishment and operation of the RBM body; -Elaboration of RBM Plans; -Implementation of programme of measures from the RBM Plans; -Construction of water infrastructure; -Capacity building of the municipal administration

8. Operational Level • Problems: • Lack of infrastructure, especially for wastewater treatment; • -Deteriorated water infrastructure; • -Poor governance and management of the Public Utilities (PUs); • -Low level of sustainability of the infrastructure and the PUs Swiss Support: -Construction of new infrastructure, mainly for wastewater treatment; -Institutional strengthening of the PUs that will receive new infrastructure; -Coaching services for the PUs that have been supported with new infrastructure

9. Population Swiss Support: -Integration of the environmental education in the Macedonian educations system (at national level and at all educational levels- kindergartens, primary and secondary schools); -Campaign for public awareness in the frame of the individual projects Problem: -Low level of the public awareness for the environmental issues

10. Principles of Interventions • To fulfill the requirements of the EU water related directives; • To meet the national priorities; • Cooperation with the existing structures in the system; • Involvement of the local staff, good and services; • Sustainability (technical, economical, financial, social); • High ratio of cost/effectiveness;

11. Affordability; • Cooperation and harmonization with other donors; • Focus in one area with natural boundaries (river basin): • Projects in Bregalnica River Basin: • Bregalnica River Basin Management • Nature Conservation • Environmental Education • Public Utility Coaching

12. Results • Completed Projects • Waste Water Treatment Plant Kumanovo Capacity: 100.000 e.p. Year of completion: 2011 Swiss commitment: CHF 16.300.000

13. Waste Water Treatment Plant Kumanovo

14. Rehabilitation of the Pumping Stations Ohrid East Year of completion: autumn 2012 Swiss Commitment: CHF 966.230

15. Berovo Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project Capacity: 14.000 e.p. Year of completion: 2010 Swiss commitment: CHF 10.100.000

16. River Monitoring System in Macedonia (RIMSYS) Year of completion: 2010 Swiss Commitment: CHF 1.750.000

17. Restoration of Golema River Year of completion: 2010 Swiss Commitment: CHF 2.250.000

18. On-going Projects • Waste Water Treatment Plant Gevgelija Capacity: 32.000 e.p. Duration: 2010 – 2014 Swiss Commitment: Euro 6.800.000 • Bregalnica River Basin Management Project Duration: 2011 – 2015 Swiss Commitment: CHF 4.360.000 • Public Utility Coaching Project Duration: 2012 – 2014 Swiss Commitment CHF 512.000 • Biodegradable Waste Management System in the Prespa Region Duration: 2010-2012 Swiss Commitment CHF 806.000

19. Projects under Preparation • Restoration of Lake Prespa Ecosystem (Implementation of the Watershed Management Plan) Duration: 2012 – 2018 Swiss Commitment CHF 5.350.000 • Improvement of the Gostivar Water Supply System Duration: 2012 – 2014 Swiss Commitment CHF 2.300.000 • Wastewater Treatment Plant in Kocani Duration: 2012 – 2015 Swiss Commitment CHF 20.000.000

20. Future Challenges • The sustainability of all the interventions and maintenance and further development of the accomplished results, remains the primary and “the” challenge in future for Macedonia