Montenegro is advancing preparations for a €55 million water-services and climate-resilience programme that includes investments in water networks, sewer infrastructure, rural systems and utility-management technologies. Government officials and World Bank representatives resumed discussions on September 21 on implementation of the WASEC programme, with municipal investment priorities and financing arrangements among the issues under consideration.
Planned investments include the rehabilitation and expansion of water networks, measures to reduce water losses, sewer infrastructure, rural water systems and projects designed to strengthen the resilience of water supplies. The programme also includes stronger monitoring of utility performance and the introduction of digital systems, expanding the potential scope beyond conventional water infrastructure construction. Potential procurement areas include smart meters, pressure-management systems, hydraulic modelling, acoustic leak-detection equipment, pumps, water-treatment equipment and digital network-management platforms.
The need for such technologies is linked to high water losses in parts of Montenegro. Reducing leakage can increase the amount of water effectively available through existing networks without requiring equivalent investment in additional water sources, while also reducing pumping and treatment costs. This creates potential demand for engineering services focused on systematic asset management alongside network rehabilitation and repairs. Digital monitoring is expected to play a central role in managing water networks. Utilities need systems capable of identifying where water enters networks, where it is consumed and where losses occur, increasing the role of suppliers that combine field equipment with software and data analysis.
The programme could also generate ongoing requirements after infrastructure works are completed. Water meters require calibration, sensors require maintenance and utility-management platforms require continuous technical support, creating demand for services alongside infrastructure investment. The timing and procurement structure remain dependent on the completion of individual investment packages by municipalities and the World Bank. Discussions focused on moving the broader water-sector programme towards specific municipal projects, including investments addressing network losses, infrastructure rehabilitation and water-system management.
