Tuzla Water Leakage Reduction Plan

Water leakage from supply networks are a problem and particularly so in older systems that have suffered neglect and underinvestment. To address this particular deficiency in Tuzla the water company has embarked on a programme supported by KfW and WBIF.

The overall objectives of the project are:

1.   The identification of investment measures to substantially reduce non-revenue water (NRW) in the water supply system of a pilot zone in Tuzla Municipality.

2.   The preparation of a conceptual design and master plan of the primary water supply systems for those inhabitants within the Municipality boundary but who are not currently connected to the main water supply system.

The master plan for water supply to settlements to the north of Tuzla was finished in May 2013. The final report if the NRW study was issued in November 2013.

The project is already showing benefits: the NRW is already reduced by 50%, while illegal connections to the water supply network and physical losses have been identified. Precious water and energy resources are being saved while water revenues to the Municipality have increased. Given these positive results, the Municipality has asked the WBIF technical assistance consultant to carry out NRW detection in one more district.

According to the conceptual design of the master plan for water supply to communities to the north of Tuzla, the following investments are envisaged: nine water reservoirs with a total capacity of 1,450 m3 volume; eight pumping stations with a total power of 46.3 kW; five booster stations with a total power of 5.14 kW; approximately 29 km of water transmission mains.

The project’s promoter is Tuzla Municipality’s Tuzla Water Company (ViK Tuzla). The water supply master plan study was prepared in accordance with the relevant national regulations which are mostly in line with the EU legislation. The pilot NRW study was implemented in accordance with the accepted International Water Association (IWA) “Water Balance – Bottom to Up” methodology.