LocationsLimescale no longer a threat to laundry machines for MZ Matići and Bok residents near Orašje
August 28, 2024
The president of the local community Matići near Orašje, Nikola Mikić, says that the expansion of the water supply network in the City of Orašje is of great importance for this community.
"There are no more issues with transporting bottles of drinking water, and on the other hand, it's important for hygiene as well as for household appliances. The water we had from wells and hydrophores was of poor quality, with a lot of limescale. You buy an expensive laundry machine, you can't clean it, limescale builds up, and it breaks down quickly. Now everything is easier, people are more inclined to buy a laundry machine, and their lives have become much easier. They are happier; they see that something is being done, that we are not being neglected, we are improving and moving forward towards civilization," says Nikola Mikić, adding that the wells and hydrophores from which most residents got their water were becoming increasingly unreliable, so the city water arrived in this community, as well as in the local community of Bok, at just the right time:
Nikola Mikić
"Water supply depended on the source and where the pump was installed, so it often happened during droughts that there was no water, and even mud would appear, black water would come out of the tap, or sand. Now, with the city water supply, that no longer happens; it’s simply safer, and we don’t have to worry about running out of water, especially during the summer. We all knew what kind of water we had from the pumps and wells, and very few people actually drank tap water. Now we don’t have to buy water; we just turn on the tap and drink clean and tested water, especially since the City invested in the installation of iron purifiers in recent years."Nikola Mikić
High demand for water supply
The tap water in Matići and Bok, sourced from the 50-meter deep Kostrč water well, has arrived through the Municipal Environmental Governance Project (MEG2). This project is jointly funded by Sweden, the Swiss Government, the Government of the Czech Republic, and the European Union, and is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Municipality of Orašje is one of the eight partner local government units that have made significant progress in good governance and environmental protection, earning the right to financial support for the implementation of its environmental infrastructure projects
"The interest of the population in getting connected to the water supply network is high, especially considering that people in these areas are used to having water from their wells and hydrophores. I believe that by now more than 50 percent of those where the water supply has reached and connections have been made have already submitted requests or come to me to ask where they should apply for a connection. This process continues as people can manage to get connected," adds Nikola Mikić.
No more low pressure and frequent breakdowns
Among the first to connect to the city water supply were Marina and Ivan Marković, and since they have had the opportunity to drink and use clean water, they are very satisfied.
Ivan Marković
“As soon as the opportunity arose to connect to the city water supply, we did so immediately about six months ago. I am satisfied with both the price and the quality of the water; it has no odors and no limescale, which means we no longer have to constantly clean the faucets and drains. Now we can safely use the water for drinking, especially since we have three young children and my elderly parents living with us.”Ivan Marković
Ivan adds that the problems they had with water are now a thing of the past:
"We were connected to our own sources and through hydrophores. There were always some issues with that; first, the pressure was not constant, and the laundry machine frequently broke down because of it. It was increasingly difficult to get a repair person. And breakdowns usually happen at the worst times, during holidays or cold weather.’"
Anticipation of a decrease in kidney disease cases
Ilija Baotić, the head of the Orašje Mayor’s Office, says that the decision to expand the city water supply was partly due to the high number of kidney disease patients in the City of Orašje, which has 13 local communities.
Ilija Baotić
“We are located along the Sava River, and the groundwater is quite polluted and full of iron and manganese. In all our local communities and villages, the water was from wells or hydrophores, essentially from the ground. This has been a major problem, so there is a strong emphasis on the water supply network. Initially, only the City of Orašje had a water supply system, but now it is expanding to other local communities, and everyone is connecting where the network has been extended. Last year, we also opened a purifier, so the water from the supply system, unlike the water citizens were previously using, is now cleaned of manganese and iron, thanks to disinfection and daily analyses. Our citizens are aware of this, which is why they are eager to apply for connections where the water supply network has been installed.”Ilija Baotić
Andrijana Dujmenović, MEG project coordinator for Orašje and assistant mayor for development management, emphasizes how important it is that residents of the local communities of Matići and Bok, as well as parts of Orašje, have access to health-safe drinking water:
"This is particularly important because the construction of the water supply network and communal infrastructure is one of our goals in the Local Development Strategy. The expansion of the network has secured supply for 200 new households and 287 agricultural enterprises," she explains.
More transparent approach, higher quality services
She adds that the City of Orašje is pleased to be part of the MEG2 project, which, alongside the infrastructural expansion of the water supply network to the local communities of Matići and Bok, has greatly improved administrative functioning:
"We have made significant progress compared to the initial state and in line with the methodology and goals of the MEG project. As an administration, we have significantly enhanced our institutional capacities. For the citizens, there is now a more open and transparent approach, higher quality services are being provided, and some acts of the Municipal Council have been aligned with the requirements of the project,’ she says, adding that especially notable changes have been experienced on the official website of the City, which has been completely redesigned."
Andrijana Dujmenović
“It has been completely adapted for the citizens; they can find a lot of information, request records, and I would also highlight how good and useful the E-Citizen mobile app is. Through the app, citizens can file complaints, ask questions to the mayor and council members, participate in public discussions, and access a wealth of data to stay updated on everything that is happening. Everything is still in the early stages, but citizens are already using the app, participating, asking questions—mostly to the mayor for now—and they always receive a response.”Andrijana Dujmenović
From skepticism to enthusiasm
Ilija Baotić, the head of the mayor's office, admits that they were initially skeptical about the implementation of the MEG project, but through its execution, they realized there was no room for skepticism:
"At first, we weren’t very enthusiastic about the project because it required a lot of work. The mayor insisted that since we were already involved in the project, we should fully commit to it. We engaged the Mayor’s Office and the department responsible to thoroughly complete the initial assessment, as well as all other required documents. In the first year, it seemed like it would be difficult, but once we got into the system, we learned a lot the following year, not just to secure funding or points, but to improve every aspect of the Administration. We were introduced to a functioning and self-sustaining system, and that is a good thing," he concludes.
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