Officials from the regional water supply company based in southern Kosovo have taken control of the Regional Water Supply facility in Zubin Potok as of this morning, confirmed Bashkim Kurti, the director of the “Mitrovica” Waterworks, to KoSSev. Kosovo police are reportedly assisting them during this operation, much like in previous cases.
Kurti stated in a brief interview that he could not provide further details at this time, citing the ongoing nature of the operation but promised more information later.
The announcement of water supply officials from the south conducting operations in three northern municipalities was made earlier this week, following the takeover of the “Ibar Waterworks” public company in North Mitrovica—formerly a Serbian institution.
At that time, Kurti said the takeover was part of an agreement signed in January with the four northern municipalities, which designates the regional water supply company as the sole licensed provider of water services in the North.
In addition to the main administrative building of the Serbian waterworks, they also took control of the pumping station in Suvi Do, erecting new signs and displaying Kosovo flags.
Initially, employees were told they would remain in their positions until a formal job competition was announced, through which they could apply for roles within the Kosovo-run institution. However, these workers were evicted from the premises yesterday. Kurti confirmed that the abrupt decision came as a directive from Pristina, specifically from the relevant ministry.
While Belgrade and the Serbian List have warned that the takeover could have significant consequences for local residents, the other side maintains that water supply services will not be disrupted. The job competition is scheduled to open tomorrow.
Serbia’s Investment in Zubin Potok Water Supply
Zubin Potok’s regional water supply system, which may now fall under Kosovo’s authority, was funded by the Serbian government. Serbia invested €16 million into the project, which became operational in 2019. The foundation stone for its construction was laid six years earlier by Aleksandar Vulin, then-director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija.
“The state of Serbia is here not to disappear, but to improve the lives of citizens in Kosovo and Metohija. Such a major project speaks volumes about how much the Republic of Serbia cares for every part of its territory and every person living on it,” Vulin said at the time.
His successor, Marko Đurić, officially opened the water supply system, noting that Serbia was implementing 149 different projects to support the Serbian population in Kosovo and would increase that number to over 350 by the year’s end.
By late 2019, the new regional water supply system “Gazivode” began providing water to North Mitrovica, Zvecan, and Zubin Potok, with a total capacity of 150 liters per second. Of this, 75 liters were designated for North Mitrovica, 41 liters for Zvecan, and the remainder for Zubin Potok.
However, the supply has long been reported as insufficient for the needs of the local population, although exact figures on the necessary capacity remain unclear.
Operational challenges have persisted, including power restrictions and network losses of around 20% in the northern municipalities. The water treatment plant in South Mitrovica previously had a capacity of 450 liters per second, which has since been expanded to 1,000 liters per second following the construction of new facilities.
Leposavic, notably, has never been supplied with water from either the Sipolje facility or the new regional water supply. The municipality maintains its own independent water supply network.
Vodovod Ibar Employees Ordered to Vacate Offices Following New Directive from Pristina
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