Bringing Clean Water to Kosovo

The Small Infrastructure for Water and Sanitation (SIWS) Program in Kosovo works in four of the country's poorest municipalities in partnership with three of the best performing regional water companies.

This five-year program (2008–12) is installing, rehabilitating, expanding, and upgrading water systems in four municipalities in Kosovo. The program is expected to generate $3 million in cost-share from regional water companies, municipalities, and communities.

SIWS has established partnerships with the municipal authorities of Peja, Gllogoc, Lipjan, and Malisheva, and their corresponding RWCs – Hidrodrini, Hidroregjioni Jugor, and Pristina. Over the life of the program, SIWS will mobilize nearly $8 million, including cost-sharing, in project works benefiting over 85,000 Kosovans with an improved water supply.

Working in partnership with regional water companies, the four selected municipalities, and communities – as well as with the Association of Regional Water Companies, SHUKOS – IRD will disseminate good water supply and management planning practice to help ensure that the program can be expanded to other parts of the new country.In January 2011, USAID extended the the program to cover new construction in northern Kosovo to build four water system extensions and rehabilitate a road.