Completion of the project 'Construction of a Wastewater Treatment Plant in the Area of Bjelašnica and Igman'

The project was successfully completed in September 2025. It was co-financed by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Slovenia, and implemented by the Centre for International Cooperation and Development (CMSR), in cooperation with the Municipality of Trnovo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This important environmental project aimed to protect water resources and reduce pollution in an area increasingly burdened by intensive tourism development. The new treatment plant has a capacity of 2,000 PE and uses advanced PVA MBBR (Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor) technology for efficient biological wastewater treatment. With a total value of €1.74 million, the project contributed to protecting the source of the Bosna River, improving water quality and supporting the long-term sustainable development of tourism in the municipality of Trnovo.

Throughout the project, CMSR played a key supervisory and coordinating role. Despite numerous challenges, including the failure of the first public tender, delays in obtaining permits, and the suspension of works due to weather conditions, CMSR ensured continuous monitoring, regular communication with the grant beneficiary, and direct field visits.

CMSR's role was particularly important in 2023 when it organised a visit with representatives from the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Sarajevo and the Mayor of Trnovo Municipality upon detecting project stagnation. This visit coordinated the next steps needed for successful completion.

With the construction of the new wastewater treatment plant, the Municipality of Trnovo has gained modern infrastructure that:

• reduces environmental pollution,
• improves the quality of surface and groundwater;
• protects water resources and the source of the Bosna River;
• it also supports sustainable tourism.

The project fully aligns with the objectives of Slovenia’s international development cooperation and Sustainable Development Goal 6: 'Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all'.

The construction of the wastewater treatment plant on Bjelašnica and Igman is a successful example of cooperation between the Republic of Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as being a tangible contribution to environmental protection and sustainable development in the Western Balkans region.