Zadar to get better drainage system through EBRD loan and EU funds

Zadar (Photo credit: Sam Barber/Unsplash)

ZAGREB, Nov 16 (Hina) – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a €4.5 million loan for the completion of a capital drainage system project in Zadar, in addition to €42 million approved from the EU Cohesion Fund for the Zadar utility company, EBRD said on Monday.

The EBRD loan will be used for the reconstruction and expansion of Zadar’s drainage system.

The project involves the construction and reconstruction of more than 100 kilometres of pipelines and collectors, 17 pump stations and increasing the current rate of 75% of households connected to drainage to 95%. The Odvodnja utility company manages wastewater collection and treatment for about 80,000 residents in the Zadar area.

This capital investment will significantly impact the quality of life for local residents and will enable the sustainable development of Zadar and neighbouring municipalities, which prior to the coronavirus pandemic recorded more than 1.4 million tourist arrivals a year, head of EBRD operations in Croatia, Victoria Zinchuk, said.

Mayor Branko Dukic said that Zadar was “faced with an extensive construction project, including the reconstruction of the water supply system, which will lead to significant savings of water as well as enabling the construction of all streets where the new pipelines will be laid… The project will resolve the problem of rainwater in the Bokanjac area and enable connecting 95% of Zadar’s households to the public drainage system,” said Dukic.

Odvodnja director Grgo Peronja said that the new system will help protect the sea and coastland from pollution.

EBRD recalled that the first projects in Croatia financed by EBRD were agreed in 1994 and since then EBRD has invested more than €3.9 billion in 219 various projects, particularly in infrastructure, entrepreneurship, financial institutions and energy.