The training program “Procedures and practices for efficient and sustainable water companies” was held in Sarajevo, from April 27 to 29, 2022. Training was organized by the project “Action to increase energy and water efficiency of water supply services”, funded by the European Union.
Thirty representatives of water companies in the cross-border area of Bosnia and Herzegovina-Montenegro had the opportunity to learn about ways to bring their business closer to the principles of sustainable development while achieving numerous benefits in the context of saving energy and money, increasing safety and operational readiness and customer satisfaction. During the training, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the areas of renewable energy and vibration diagnostics recently developed within the project were promoted and distributed.
Through practical examples of good practices, it was concluded that the implemented energy efficiency measures pay off very quickly and bring visible effects, and that water companies have significant potential for green energy production through the installation of solar panels and / or pipe turbines. In this way, it contributes to the mitigation of climate change while achieving significant savings, and in some cases profit by selling electricity to the grid.
In addition to the lectures, the participants participated in comprehensive discussions where they exchanged practical information and previous experiences in the field of energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources. The great advantage of this event was the networking and connection of participants and lecturers, as well as water companies with each other.
In order to achieve long-term resource efficiency in the water supply sector, with the slogan “Every drop and kilowatt is important”, the European Union financially supported the implementation of this project, which is being implemented within the IPA cross-border cooperation program Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro. Through the implementation of joint actions to improve energy and water efficiency of water supply seeks to strengthen sustainable development in over 70 municipalities and cities in the cross-border area of BiH and Montenegro. The project is implemented by the Centre for Energy, Environment and Resources – CENER 21 from Sarajevo (BiH) and the Montenegrin Centre for Energy Efficiency from Podgorica (MNE). The implementation of project began on December 1, 2019 and will last for 30 months. The total budget of the project is over 305,000 euros, of which the European Union provided up to 260,000 euros in grants.
