As part of the Annual Meeting of the Swiss-Croatian Cooperation Programme, a field visit to sites in the Gorski Kotar region included in the “Water Supply and Wastewater Management in the Gorski Kotar Area” programme was held on 26 May 2026.
The programme is being implemented under the Second Swiss Contribution and is aimed at the modernisation and development of public water supply and wastewater management systems in the Gorski Kotar area. Its objectives include improving the security of drinking water supply, reducing water losses in the distribution system, enhancing wastewater collection and treatment systems, and protecting water resources and drinking water sources. More than CHF 23 million has been secured through the Second Swiss Contribution for investments in water utility infrastructure and wastewater management systems in the Gorski Kotar area.
The field visit was attended by representatives of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the Swiss Contribution Office at the Embassy of Switzerland in the Republic of Croatia (SCO), the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds in its role as the National Coordination Unit, Croatian Waters, and partners involved in the implementation of the project.
Participants visited the Nadvučnik, Sveti Ilija and Senjsko water reservoirs in the area of the Town of Vrbovsko, where they were introduced to their role within the water supply system as well as to the planned and completed investments in infrastructure modernisation. At the Sveti Ilija reservoir site, the pipeline reconstruction project between the Sveti Ilija and Nadvučnik reservoirs was presented, highlighting its contribution to improving the stability and reliability of the water supply system.
Participants were also presented with conceptual solutions for the further development of water supply and wastewater systems in the Vrbovsko area, as well as plans for future infrastructure investments aimed at improving the quality of public utility services and increasing system resilience.
