Waste Water Treatment Plant in Badovac

Kosovo

Project name: Improving water quality in Badovac Lake
by introducing proper wastewater management, Kosovo
Financed by: Czech Development Agency
Implemented by: Ircon ltd and TopolWater ltd
Project partner: Regional Water Company of Prishtina
Implementation period: 03/2015 – 06/2018

The project Improving water quality in Badovac Lake by introducing proper wastewater management was implemented in Kosovo with the goal to significantly improve quality of water in Badovac Lake. This water reservoir, located about 15 kilometres northwest of Prishtina, serves as a back‑up source of drinking water supplied to inhabitants of the capital of Kosovo. The water in the lake has been contaminated for a long time by discharged untreated waste water from the adjacent villages of Mramor, Sutieska and Busia. This health‑hazardous situation was identified by the local authorities and rectified by the implementation of the project funded by the Czech Development Agency.

Within the project a new biological waste water treatment plant (WWTP) of Flexidiblok technology with a capacity of 2,400 equivalent inhabitants and possible overload of up to 3,350 equivalent inhabitants was built in vicinity of the lake. Flexidiblock is the most modern technology from the Czech manufacturer TopolWater for treatment of municipal waste water. The treatment processes is optimized so that the technology reliably works at minimal operating costs while maintaining the required limits for treated water at the outlet, which is then discharged through a stream into Badovac Lake. A fully automated operating system communicates with the headquarters in Prishtina via an internet connection. As a result, in the event of unexpected events and problems, the operator can remotely change the setting mode of individual devices to ensure full functionality of WWTP in any situation. The plant includes waste water pumping station and coarse pre‑treatment systems.

A total of fifteen employees of the Regional Water Company of Prishtina (RWCP) were systematically trained in the proper operation and maintenance of this modern technology. The WWTP was also equipped with basic laboratory equipment, which makes it possible to evaluate the main parameters of the treated wastewater directly on the site. In addition, the main laboratory RWCP in Pristina was also supported by provision of modern equipment and instrumentation such as a laboratory oximeter, colorimeter or dryer. The staff of the laboratory was thoroughly trained both in the use of instruments and also in the drinking water quality control methodology according to the current EU directives. With the help of the local partner and Kosovo authorities, a sewerage network was also built within the project, which is necessary to ensure the waste water intake to the newly constructed WWTP. An integral part of the project was also an extensive awareness campaign in adjacent municipalities focusing mainly on youth and women’s groups. The aim of the campaign was to improve the management of waste water and waste in general.