2015年-世界发展银行全球_Water_and_Wastewater_Services_in_the_Danube_Region___Serbia_Country_Note_16页_3mb

Summary of Serbia's Water and Sanitation Sector

Core Content

This document provides an overview of the water and sanitation sector in Serbia, focusing on challenges, organization, access, performance, and financing. It is part of the Danube Water Program and highlights the need for reforms to align with EU standards and improve sector sustainability.

Key Challenges

• Sector Governance: Overlapping mandates among ministries hinder policy efficiency. A clearer governance structure is needed to support EU accession and infrastructure development.
• Tariff Setting: Water tariffs are kept low due to an inflation cap imposed by the Ministry of Finance since 2004, preventing utilities from recovering costs and leading to financial losses.
• Staff Capacity and Training: Despite some efforts, staff training and capacity building remain insufficient, especially given high staff turnover due to political cycles.
• Infrastructure: Water and wastewater infrastructure is aging and requires significant investment and upgrades to meet EU environmental standards.

Organization of Services

• Service Providers: There are 152 formal water service providers, mostly local/municipal utilities, responsible for water and sanitation services.
• Ownership: Most utilities are state-owned, with local governments managing them.
• Sector Structure: The water sector is fragmented, with a lack of a regulatory agency and limited public availability of performance indicators.
• Public Water Companies: Srbijavode, Vode Vojvodine, and Beogradvode are state-owned companies involved in flood protection, legislation, and information systems.

Access to Services

• Water Supply: 90% of the population has access to piped water, with 80% in the bottom 40% of the population.
• Sanitation: 93% of the population has access to flush toilets, but only 59% have access to sewerage. The bottom 40% have 84% access to flush toilets.
• Equity Issues: 22% of Roma settlements lack access to improved water sources, and 39% lack improved sanitation. These disparities are significant compared to the general population.

Performance of Services

• Service Continuity: Most cities have near-24/7 water supply, but there are issues with water quality and treatment.
• Water Quality: 73% of water samples are in full compliance with standards, but surface water contamination poses health risks.
• Wastewater Treatment: Only 11% of the population is connected to wastewater treatment plants, and treatment quality is poor.
• Customer Satisfaction: Only 51% of the population is satisfied with water services, lower than regional averages.

Financing of Services

• Operating Cost Coverage: 95% of operating costs are covered in 2012, below the Danube best practice of 149%.
• Residential Tariff: Average tariff is €0.48/m³, significantly below the Danube best practice of €1.32/m³.
• Investment: Average annual investment per capita is €4, far below the Danube best practice of €23.
• Tariff Regulation: Tariffs are influenced by political and social considerations rather than operational needs.

Sector Sustainability Assessment

• Sustainability Index: Serbia's water sector sustainability index is 61, below the Danube average of 64 and best practice of 96.

Ongoing Reforms

• National Strategy: A draft National Public Utility Strategy has not been implemented.
• Reform Barriers: Frequent changes in government structure have hindered reform efforts, with the 2010 strategy remaining conceptual.

Further Resources

• Regional Reports: Available at SoS.danubis.org.
• Utility Data: Accessible at www.danubis.org/eng/utility-database.
• Country-Specific Documents:
  • MEMSP. 2011. National Environmental Approximation Strategy for the Republic of Serbia.
  • MISP. 2011. Draft Strategy for Restructuring Public Utility Companies in the Republic of Serbia.
  • UNDP. 2010. Water and human rights sector assessment, Serbia.
  • World Bank. 2013. Serbia, Municipal Finance and Expenditure Review.

Acknowledgments

The report is prepared by Maria Salvetti, with support from David Michaud and Stjepan Gabric, and is part of the Danube Water Program, funded by the Austrian Ministry of Finance.

Rights and Permissions

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