Niš, Serbia’s third-largest city with around 375,000 inhabitants, is taking an important step towards modern wastewater management. The new system will collect and treat the city’s wastewater before it reaches the Nišava River, protecting the river and the communities that depend on it.
The Delegation of the European Union to Serbia identified the Niš Wastewater Collection and Treatment Project as a top financing priority. Its goal is cleaner water for the city and alignment with EU environmental standards on Serbia’s path to accession.
As FIDIC Engineer, IRD Engineering, in association with Cabinet Merlin, is supervising the works under an EU-financed contract:
- Lot 1 (FIDIC Yellow Book): the new WWTP at Ciganski Ključ, sized for 286,000 population equivalent, plus wastewater treatment at the Mediana water treatment plant;
- Lot 2 (FIDIC Red Book): about 47 km of new and rehabilitated collectors and sewers, and 4 pumping stations.
Works are progressing steadily on both the treatment plant and the collection network. Each step brings Niš closer to treating its wastewater for the first time.
Once it’s running, the plant will treat the city’s wastewater and disinfect part of the effluent with UV for reuse. Sludge will be digested and solar-dried. That means a cleaner Nišava River and a healthier environment for everyone living downstream.
IRD Engineering continues to build on its strong track record in water and sanitation projects, with ongoing contracts in Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan, among others.
Many thanks to the European Union and the EU Delegation to Serbia for their support. Thanks also to the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia, the City of Niš, the contractors, and our site team.