Our Mission
The project "Further support in the implementation of the reforms in the water sector" is a 30-month initiative funded by the European Union. Our primary goal is to help North Macedonia modernise its water and wastewater services to ensure better service quality and stronger financial sustainability for the future.
Context & Challenges
Currently, water services in North Macedonia are delivered by numerous municipal utilities with varying technical and financial capacity. This fragmented system often leads to high infrastructure losses and water tariffs that do not fully cover operational costs. This project builds on earlier national strategies to create a more sustainable, coordinated, and efficient water management system for all citizens.
Our Objectives
Overall Objective: To improve access to and quality of water and wastewater services in line with the EU Acquis.
Objective 1
Reorganise municipal water service provision into cooperative clusters at the river basin level.
Objective 2
Gradually implement full-cost recovery and "polluter-pays" principles nationwide.
Strengthen the operational and financial performance of water utilities in pilot areas.
Objective 3
OurActivities
Organising Better Water Services
Operationalising the national strategy for clustered water services and preparing detailed clustering studies for pilot areas
What this means for you: Currently water is managed by many small, separate local offices. This makes it expensive and difficult to fix big problems like broken pipes or old equipment.
The Plan: We are helping municipalities work together in "clusters" or groups. By sharing resources and expertise, these larger water utilities can provide more reliable service, respond to repairs faster and manage your water more professionally.
The Goal: To move from a fragmented system to a coordinated one that ensures every household has access to high-quality, safe water for years to come.
Strengthening Local Expertise
Building the capacity of ADKOM and ZELS to coordinate reforms and monitor utility
performance
What this means for you: The people who manage your water services need access to the best training and modern management methods.
The Plan: We are providing specialised training and tools to the national associations and local utilities that manage your water.
The Goal: To ensure that local teams have the expertise required to plan for the future and keep the system running smoothly every day.
Support for Local Water Companies
Providing on-the-job support to pilot utilities for business planning and asset management
What this means for you: Your local water company needs a clear map of its pipes and a solid plan to fix them before they leak.
The Plan: Our experts work directly with local teams in pilot areas to map their equipment and create a better 3-year business plan.
The Goal: To reduce water leaks and service interruptions by helping local companies manage their assets more professionally.
Fair Pricing and Better Standards
Upgrading national water tariff methodologies and establishing a National Benchmarking System
What this means for you: It is important that the price you pay for water is fair, transparent and used directly to maintain the system.
The Plan: We are working with the national regulator to update how water prices are set and to create a system that compares the performance of different water companies.
The Goal: To ensure that utilities have the funds they need for repairs while keeping services affordable and efficient for every household.
Modern Digital Tools
Introducing software solutions for data management, asset valuation and performance monitoring
What this means for you: Modern technology can help find leaks faster and manage water accounts more accurately.
The Plan: We are introducing new software to help water companies track their data, equipment and finances digitally.
The Goal: To make water management more transparent and high-tech, allowing for faster responses to technical issues.
Beneficiaries and Stakeholders
Ministry of environment and physical planning (MoEPP)
Main Beneficiary
Key Institutional Partners
Energy and Water Services Regulatory Commission (ERC)
Association of Public Utility Service Providers (ADKOM)
Association of the Units of Local
Self-Government (ZELS)
Municipalities and their respective Public Utility Companies (PUCs)
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