Kosovo faces water shortages

Kosovo faces water shortages

As spring and summer approach, municipalities urge the government to intervene and reduce water shortages.

Volunteers clean up the exposed shore area of Lake Badovc near Pristina on March 2nd. The lake's water level has dramatically fallen, threatening to leave Pristina and surrounding towns without an adequate water supply. [AFP]

Pristina Mayor Shpend Ahmeti is asking Kosovo's government to take measures to increase investment in new water sources and improve water supply management.

Pristina and surrounding municipalities have faced daily water shortages for years, but last month, authorities restricted water use to 12 hours per day.

''This situation is created not only because of the low level of rainfall but also due to poor management, lack of co-ordination and proper communication between the involved parties, misuse of water and poor planning of water resources in our region,'' Ahmeti said.

Experts said the decrease in water levels supplying Pristina is the worst in decades. Last year was the driest since 1927.

The government fully supports the water company to deal with the emergency situation and local government is expected to do the same, said Gjelosh Vataj, chief executive officer of the Regional Water Company Pristina.

"Good water management or not, the Regional Water Company Pristina works for the first time without financial losses. This has been a requirement by donors to invest in our company," Vataj told SETimes.

Kosovo has not invested in new water accumulations since the 1980s and the Pristina water company -- which was to supply water to 250,000 residents -- now serves more than 500,000.

Ministry of Economic Development (MED)...