Montenegro’s Ministry of Public Works has launched a tender worth 3.75 million euros for equipment to modernise the wastewater treatment plant serving Kotor and Tivat. The upgrade is intended to improve treatment and introduce a third stage, with implications for water discharged into the Bay of Kotor and for treated water reused by businesses.
The tender is open until 30 November, when bids are scheduled to be opened. The new procurement procedure followed the cancellation of an earlier tender after its commission deemed both submitted bids invalid.
If the process follows the planned timetable, a contractor could be selected at the beginning of next year. Preparations for implementation and the purchase of the required equipment would follow, the project timeline indicates.
The plant is already operational and meets legally prescribed parameters aligned with European standards, according to its director, Stefan Čobanović. The new equipment is intended to improve the efficiency of the existing process, while the facility’s immediate priority remains meeting the required standards for discharging treated water into the sea.
Upgrade targets treatment and reuse
The modernisation is expected to enable the use of contemporary technologies and improve the quality of treated water, including through third-stage treatment. Čobanović said the investment would bring the facility’s technology and operating quality closer to those of modern plants in Europe’s most developed countries.
The plant has an agreement with Luštica Bay for the use of treated wastewater to irrigate its golf course. Better treatment is expected to improve the water’s suitability for reuse, which matters for the course’s grass surfaces, Čobanović said.
Seawater entering the sewer network raises salinity in wastewater and treated water, potentially affecting its quality for irrigation. With support from Luštica Bay, the plant plans to repair all locations where seawater enters the network.
Čobanović said the upgraded equipment should make it easier for Luštica Bay to irrigate the golf course with water from the plant, avoiding the need for additional supplies from the Regional Waterworks. The new treatment would support reuse while the plant continues to prioritise the discharge standards required for the Bay of Kotor.
Environmental and EU obligations
Čobanović described the project as relevant to Montenegro’s effort to close Chapter 27, one of the conditions on the country’s path to European Union membership. He said it would also contribute to seawater quality, environmental protection, public health and the quality of bathing areas.
The investment is linked to Montenegro’s obligations in the EU accession process as well as the protection of the waters of the Bay of Kotor. Its next procurement milestone is the bid opening on 30 November; the selection of a contractor remains conditional on the tender proceeding according to schedule.
