Signed Contract on building of Water Filtering Plant
Today, in the City Hall the Director of "Water and Sewage Company", Milorad Bjelogrlić and Ralf Schröder, General Director of Austrian – German Company WTE Wassertechnik have signed the Contract on the building, designing and operating , financing and managing of drinking water filtering plant in Zrenjanin. The value fo the Contract is 25.6 million Euro.
The Mayor of Zrenjanin, Mileta Mihajlov says that the signing of this contract is the historical moment for Zrenjanin since the tap water has been forbidden to consume fro drinking by inspection for seven years now.
As he said, the Contract signing is the result of two-year intensive work on the research of new technologies and studying of the capacities of the potential investors.
– Today's signatures of the Contract and undertaken obligations, are proving that, as we promised, we have seriously considered this problem, and as a responsible government, we have kept the promises. Water is an expensive resource and it is in demand in the world, but the right on water is, I would say, a basic human right, and it can not be endangered in XXI century Europe. As a doctor, I am particularly proud, that, as the mayor, I have managed to solve this problem, together with my colleagues, since this is a serious health problem. I believe this example of cooperation of Zrenjanin and the Company WTE Wassertechnik will be followed with the contracts with other cities of Vojvodina which have similar problems– said the Mayor Mihajlov.
Ralf Schröder pointed out that the Company was informed about the water problem in Zrenjanin, which will be solved by the building of water filtering plant.
- This is a real challenge for us and jointly with Water and Sewage Company we are going to start this venture and in three years we will open the water plant. Our next step is to make a pilot programme, jointly with Water and Sewage Company, said Schröder, emphasising that WTA – group is an experience company in the building of similar plants through the projects in Zagreb, Vienna, Moscow.
The Director of Water and Sewage Company says that drinking water will meet all the European standards, and that the price will depend on many factors.
- The price of water processing will be from 0.27 to 0.34 Euro cent, and the final price will depend on adopted water policy. If Provincial and Republic government participate in the plant building the price will be lower. But for sure, this water will be cheaper than the bottled water citizens now buy – said Bjelogrlić at the press conference.
The President of the Provincial Government Bojan Pajtić was present at the Contract signing and said that this was a very important project that will both provide high quality of drinking water and secondly make Zrenjanin more attractive for foreign and domestic investors which use water in their product structure.
- This project can be a model for other cities in Vojvodina which have the similar problem of drinking water - said Pajtić adding that their is option of partial EU funding for this project.
His Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of Austria, Clemens Koja, was present estimating that this would be a good introduction into the future cooperation of Austrian companies and the City of Zrenjanin.