LocationsNew water supply – A new life for the residents of Gornja Bioča near Ilijaš
August 26, 2024
Muamera Mahmutović
When water from the municipal supply finally started flowing from the tap, Semir Šehić and Muamera Mahmutović in the village of Gornja Bioča near Ilijaš were overwhelmed with joy. Life became much easier, and since they work in agriculture, their tasks, especially caring for the cows, heifers, and bulls that need to be watered daily, were significantly simplified.
“"We had to carry water from the well to water the cows; everything was done manually. We have two little girls, one in third grade and the other just starting first grade, and it was hard to manage water – with small children, the barn, laundry, dishes, everything needed water. We had water from a spring, but when there was no rain, it would dry up, and when it rained, the pressure was often weak, so we had to make do however we could. We even had to buy water for the household," says Muamera Mahmutović, who now finally doesn't have to wash the laundry by hand.
“"I couldn’t use the laundry machine before. Now that we have municipal water, I can wash rugs and whitewash whenever I want. Before, I had to wait for winter to do those things because the water pressure was better then. Everything is much easier when you have water in the house; I'm very satisfied."
Previously, we carried water in buckets; now the cow activates the watering trough on its own with its nose.
The husband Semir says that bringing water for the cows used to be an additional problem on top of all the farm work.
Semir Šehić
"Before, we had to carry water with buckets; now the cow presses the watering trough with its nose and drinks as much and whenever it wants. It was difficult—people used to bring water with tractors, hauling it in barrels, and that was the daily routine."Semir Šehić
The water reached Gornja Bioča through the Municipal Environmental Governance Project (MEG2), which is jointly funded by Sweden, the Government of Switzerland, the Government of the Czech Republic, and the European Union, and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The municipality of Ilijaš is one of the eight partner local government units that have made significant progress in good governance and environmental protection, thereby qualifying for financial support to implement its environmental infrastructure projects.
Alongside the project for expanding the water supply network in Gornja Bioča, the MEG2 project also co-financed the construction of a sewage and stormwater network in the Banovac neighborhood. This involved laying new pipelines, with co-financing from the Municipality of Ilijaš and Sarajevo Canton.
Support is also provided by the citizens themselves, as Esad Šehić donated part of his land where a reservoir was built, from which he and his fellow residents will receive water.
Esad Šehić
"I gave the land for free to make things better for all of us. Water means a lot to us, and without hesitation, I decided to donate as much land as needed to build the reservoir," says Esad, to whom water was connected on the day of our visit.
"We had a certain amount of water that was insufficient; it would run out in the summer, and you had to manage the best you could," says Esad. His wife Vahida adds that now they won’t have to worry about whether there will be enough water for all their needs:
Vahida Šehić
"We were saving most of the water for bathroom needs, and for everything else, we were bringing and managing as best as we could. And then luck smiled upon us."”
This is a new beginning for us
Local resident Nermin Durmo joins the conversation, saying that he is happy to have bathed in water from the municipal supply for the first time in 60 years in his own home.
Nermin Durmo
Fadila Suša
"When the water was connected yesterday, the first thing we all did was take a bath to see what it was like to bathe in municipal water. It’s especially important that we now have clean and tested water, because the water we used to drink wasn’t monitored; it had sand in it, and there were makeshift connections and 'slipping' water that would run out in the summer. For the past 15 days before the connection, I didn’t have any water."Nermin Durmo
Durmo explains how the residents had to impose their own restrictions.
"There were three households using one well, and if someone used more water, there wasn’t enough for everyone. The flow was 300 liters per day, and imagine having to distribute that among about 20 people; everyone wanted to bathe and do laundry," says Esad, and his wife Fadila adds:
"The laundry machine sometimes could work, sometimes it couldn’t. This water means to us as if someone came and said – here’s a new life. When the water arrived, it felt like we were born again!"
The president of the 'Luka' local community Council, Elmin Brkić, says that bringing water to Gornja Bioča has solved a major problem for the residents of the area.
Elmin Brkić
"We had a big problem during the summer; the residents would run out of water and had to manage on their own. We had to supply them with water from tankers as well. With the arrival of the municipal water supply, one of the pressing issues in our community has been resolved."Elmin Brkić
Municipal councilor Muhamed Handžić adds that the arrival of water opens new perspectives for the development of the entire area.
"For the first time in this area, we have such a project that is of vital importance to the community of 150 households. The water supply has arrived, people are gradually connecting, and this is a new beginning for us. This is a promising area given its location on the regional road connecting to Sarajevo, so we anticipate further settlement and estimate that there will soon be at least 500 households here."
Implemented key provisions of the Water Law of Sarajevo Canton
The director of the Public Utility Company 'Vodostan' d.o.o. Ilijaš, Belma Zukić, says that through the project for co-financing the construction of the water supply system in the Bioča settlement, which included the construction of a new reservoir and two new pump stations, they have not only provided direct benefits to the citizens but also fulfilled certain legal obligations.
“"With the implementation of the project co-financed by non-repayable funds from MEG2, over 40 households in the Bioča settlement have been connected to the central water supply system and are now under the jurisdiction of the company. An additional significance is that by completing this project, the local government unit has also implemented provisions of the Water Law of Sarajevo Canton, which mandates that the local government, as the founder of the company, must take over all local water systems and transfer them to the management, or control, of the public utility company. The coverage of public water supply services in our municipality exceeds 93 percent, which is a significant and large number compared to the average in FBiH, which is 75 percent.”.
Mirnes Ćustović from JKP 'Vodostan' adds that the project for the construction of the sewage and stormwater network in the Banovac neighborhood has also greatly improved the quality of life for the residents of that area.
Belma Zukić
Mines Ćustović
"The neighborhood previously had a sewage system, but it was outdated, inadequate, and prone to malfunctions, especially with the accelerated construction that has occurred in the area. Now, with the large number of new buildings, heavy rainfall had led to sewage overflows onto the roads, causing flooding in front of the Catholic church and two shopping centers. The new sewage system has completely resolved the issues of both wastewater and stormwater in that part of the city."Mirnes Ćustović
Adna Masnopita from the Department for Traffic, Housing and Communal Affairs, and Construction in the Municipality of Ilijaš says that this department has implemented the project for the construction of the sewage and stormwater network in the Banovac neighborhood. Part of the project involved building a new sewage and stormwater network, while another part focused on its reconstruction.
“"Construction is underway on six new buildings with five floors each at this location, as well as the regulation of the sewage network for these newly built structures planned in this project. This is a very complex project, with the planned construction of one kilometer of sewage and stormwater network, and due to its complexity, it has been implemented in three phases. The Municipality of Ilijaš, together with UNDP through the MEG project, has completed the second phase, where we managed to build 300 meters of sewage and stormwater network," says Adna Masnopita, emphasizing that the project includes newly built residential buildings, the new city stadium, the recycling yard, and all business facilities within the area:
"According to estimates, the total number of network users annually is around 100,000, with half of them coming from vulnerable categories. Besides serving a large number of users, the network is also significant for environmental protection and demonstrates that the Municipality of Ilijaš is a pleasant place to live and reside."
Adna Masnopita
Merima Osmanović
Connecting citizens and the local community
Alongside the infrastructure component, Merima Osmanović, the Assistant to the Mayor of the Municipality of Ilijaš, highlights the importance of connecting citizens and the local community. She also emphasizes that this municipality was ranked first out of 21 local communities on the MEG list of partner local governments that achieved the greatest progress in strengthening good governance and environmental protection, earning the right to receive non-repayable financial support through their work and commitment.
"The project involved several reform processes related to the operations of the Municipal Council, administrative bodies, and certain departments, with JKP 'Vodostan' as a project partner. The project was very demanding, with numerous indicators that improved the functioning of the local community and contributed to better integration of municipal services with our utility company. Citizens were also involved in the project to some extent; it was based on transparent municipal operations and greater citizen engagement to meet their needs, include them in budgeting and the use of budget funds, and allow them to contribute ideas or requests that could be implemented in the local community."
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