Ilirska Bistrica – Starod, Šapjane, Jelšane, Klana, Mučići, Matulji (FB8)

Q4. Between country – water coming from (origin country (1)) and

Slovenia

Q5. Country (2) – water supplied to (delivered):

Croatia and Slovenia*
(*for water supply of Jelšane (SLO): water is provided by JP Komunala
Ilirska Bistrica d.o.o. (SLO), but that water is first delivered to Liburnijske vode d.o.o. (CRO), which then supplies Jelšane)

Q6. Water supply system name (English):

Water supply system of Liburnija and hinterland.

Q7. Water supply system name (Country 1):

Vodovodni sistem Liburni in zaledjem.

Q8. Water supply system name (Country 2):

Vodoopskrbni sustav Liburnije i zaleđa.

Q9. Date/year established cross-border water supply:

Construction of water supply system in 1937: Buzet – Starod – Šapjane – Jelšane – Klana – Mučići – Matulji.
Change in supplying water in 1962: Ilirska Bistrica – Starod – Šapjane – Jelšane – Klana – Mučići – Matulji.

Q10. Management of origin side of the WSS:

JP Komunala Ilirska Bistrica d.o.o., http://www.kp-ilb.si/index.html.

Q11. Management of delivery side of the WSS:

Liburnijske vode d.o.o., http://www.liburnijske-vode.hr/
(old name: Komunalac d.o.o. Opatija, http://www.komunalac-opatija.hr/)
and
JP Komunala Ilirska Bistrica d.o.o., http://www.kp-ilb.si/index.html.

Q12. Amount of water supplied (as per contract/agreement):

According to Contract from 1972: Minimum of 24.5 l/s. In case of available water in VS in Starod, that amount may be increased up to a maximum of 30 l/s (which is the capacity of transport pipeline). According to Contract for the supply and payment of water (1976): cca 720.000 m3/year.

Q13. General nature of the CBWS – emergency water supply, peak water supply, permanent water supply:

Permanent water supply

Q14. Existing legal framework for the CBWS:

(1) Contract for the supply and prices of water from water supply system “Visoki Kras” (26.09.1972.), between Komunalno stanovanjsko podjetje Ilirska Bistrica and Komunalno poduzeće “Vodovod” Opatija;
(2) – Contract for the supply and payment of water (1976.),
(3) Contract for the sale and supply of water (24.11.1992.),
(4) I.Addition to basic contract from 24.11.1992. (24.02.1997.),
(5) Water Act (Zakon o vodama), 17.12.2009. – it is only written that some regulations are not applicable in the case of cross-border water supply,
(6) Regulation on the ratification of the contract between Croatian Government and Slovenian Goverment on the regulation of water management relations (12.06.1997.),
(7) (Uredba o potvrđivanju ugovora između Vlade Republike Hrvatske i Vlade Republike Slovenije o uređivanju vodnogospodarskih odnosa (12.06.1997.))

Q15. Top level CBWS management body (if mutually defined):

Stalna hrvatsko-slovenska komisija za vodno gospodarstvo;
Stalna slovensko-hrvaška komisija za vodno gospodarstvo
(Permanent Croatian-Slovenian Commission for Water Management)

Q16. Origin country reference body for the management body:

Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Sector for Water Managment (SLO)

Q17. Delivery country reference body for the CBWS management body.

Ministry of Agriculture, Direction for Water Management (CRO)

Q18. Legal framework management – Contract party meetings (annual, even more frequent):

Over the last 25 years, the cooperation with the Slovenian company from Ilirska Bistrica has been friendly. Management delegations meet at least once a year, technical staff consult each other and meet if necessary.

Q19. Issues addressed on the local level:

/

Q20. Issues addressed on the regional level:

/

Q21. Issues addressed on the state level:

Stalna hrvatsko-slovenska komisija za vodno gospodarstvo (Permanent Croatian-Slovenian Commission for Water Management).
This Commission held 10 meetings so far, and the last one was held in Zagreb 27.-28.03.2014.

Q22. Legal option to increase maximum annual entitlement?

Legally it is possible to make a contract where based on their (Ilirska Bistrica) technical capabilities current maximum amount of water would be defined, and in case of reduced abundances and technical problems minimum amounts would be defined.
There are technical limitations on Croatian side, such that maximum system throughput is now reduced, from former 29 l/s which was in practice, to 19 l/s, because there is no need for larger amounts of water from Slovenia.

Q23. Minimum amount of water delivery defined?

According to Contract from 1972: minimum of 24.5 l/s.

Q24. Which is the body assigned by the contract for the resolution of disputes?

According to Contract from 1972: District Commercial Court in Rijeka or Higher Commercial Court in Zagreb, depending on the value of the dispute. According to Contract for the supply and payment of water (1976.): District Commercial Court in Koper. According to Contract for the sale and supply of water (1992.): The Court in Koper.

Q25. Ownership of the cross-border infrastructure:

Each country owns the infrastructure on the national territory. Each country is owner up to the measuring point, i.e. from the measuring points that are on the borders.

Q26. Are the water rights on the water resource assigned to the cross-border partner? In which way?

No.

Q27. Termination of the water delivery of contract

It is unlimited.

Q28 Minimal water consumption legally defined?

No.

Q29. Is the legal heritage of the systems resolved

It is not problematic. What has belonged to Slovenia, it still belongs to Slovenia. The same applies to Croatia.

Q30. Is the water price(charge) composed by different components?

For Jelšane the price is not defined. Ilirska Bistrica has defined the price of 2 EUR/m3 to Liburnijske vode. This is how the price which Liburnijske vode d.o.o. pay is defined: 1) the amount of water which is delivered to Croatia is reduced with the amount of water which is delivered to Jelšane (increased by 15% due to handling and maintenance costs), what gives the amount of water that is charged to Liburnijske vode d.o.o. (2 EUR/m3); 2) charge for water supply network (59.35 EUR/month); 3) charge for watermeters (13.02 EUR/month). Changes from May 2014: Slovenians have lowered the price of m3 from 2 EUR to 0.5 EUR, and Liburnijske vode have committed to deliver Slovenian water to Jelšane.

Q31. How is the pricing mechanism defined (water charges):

Amount of water for Liburnijske vode d.o.o. is monitored at the border measuring instrument in Pasjak. Part of that water is delivered to Slovenia, therefore it is agreed to reduce the total amount of water from Pasjak with that part (but increased by 15% due to handling and maintenance costs), and the rest of the water is charged to Liburnijske vode d.o.o. When Yugoslavia fell apart, the calculation method for Slovenian water remained the same, although there was also customs charging before Croatia has joined EU. Water price is described in previous question. Legislation (CRO): Water Act (Zakon o vodama), Water Management Financing Law (Zakon o financiranju vodnoga gospodarstva).

Q32. Are the minimal charges foreseen? – Fixed charges, full for empty:

In case that Liburnijske vode d.o.o. don’t take water from Ilirska Bistrica (0 m3) they would still have to pay (fixed charges): 2) charge for water supply network (59.35 EUR/month); 3) charge for watermeters (13.02 EUR/month).

Q33. Is the non-payment procedure regulated by the contract?

Not by the contracts that are available to us. Only courts for resolution of disputes are mentioned.

Q34. Is there a special tariff (surcharge) for the excessive water supply?

No. Everything is agreed with joint cooperation.

Q35. Insurance cost covered – insurance cost tariff, insurance model foreseen by the contract:

It is not mentioned.

Q36. Depreciaton of the infrastructure, investment/maintenance plans agreed ? (amortizacija, ammortamento):

Each side maintains its own system.

Q37. Penalties for unfulfilment of contractual obligations?

According to Contract from 1972, if water supplier by his fault doesn’t fulfill the obligations under Articles II and III of the contract, counterparty has the right for compensation of resulting damage.

Q38. Is the mutual inspection of records/book-keeping established? (due dilligence approach):

No. Both sides communicate with each other if something is unclear. Bill after bill is paid.

Q39. General assessment of the CBWS economics :

Croatia thinks that Slovenian water is too expensive.
For Ilirska Bistrica it is more favorable to supply Jelšane in current way (through Croatia), then to buy Croatian water.
Changes from May 2014: Slovenians have lowered the price of m3 from 2 EUR to 0.5 EUR, and Liburnijske vode have committed to deliver Slovenian water to Jelšane.

Q40. Payment statistics for the last 5 years:

See the last question in this questionnaire.

Q41. Other:

/

Q42. Measurement of water delivered:

2 measuring points: 1) on the border crossing Pasjak (measurement of amount of water that is delivered to Croatia), 2) on the border (measurement of amount of water that is delivered to Jelšane). Measurements are usually performed once a month.

Q43. Is continuity of water supply – intermittent water supply an issue?

Only some technical problems, which rarely happen (eg. when repairing pipes). During the drought Slovenia would reduce the water flow. Slovenia would always inform Croatia about that, as Croatia informs them.

Q44. Agreed water quality issues:

Legislation: – Drinking Water Directive (Direktiva o kakvoći vode za piće) which defines parameters, frequency etc. CRO:(1) Regulation on drinking water sanitary correctness (Pravilnik o zdravstvenoj ispravnosti vode za piće); (2) Rules on compliance parameters and methods of analysis of water for human consumption (Pravilnik o parametrima sukladnosti i metodama analize vode za ljudsku potrošnju); (3) Water Act (Zakon o vodama), 17.12.2009.

Q45. Water quality monitoring jointly controlled/verified:

A place on the border is agreed where pipeline extends from Šapjane to Jelšane. Croatia takes a sample, and if there’s a problem with the sample, both sides consult each other. A sample is taken once a month. If water turbidity etc. occurs at springs in Slovenia, they inform Croatia about need for boiling water.

Q46. Temperature regulated by the contract?

No.

Q47. Pressure regulated by the contract?

No.

Q48. Cross – border profile management:

2 measuring points on the border – on 1st discharge and pressure are measured (pressure is measured on reducer station just after the border in Pasjak); on 2nd discharge is measured (toward Jelšane). Structures are accessible for both sides. Management of valves is agreed from both sides.

Q49. Construction of project facilities:

Everything has been built, each side builds for its own needs.

Q50. Is the daily dynamics of water demand/supply an issue ?

Reservoir is in Starod (SLO). Reservoir Kavrani Breg for potential water supply is in Croatia.

Q51. Is the seasonal dynamics of water demand/supply an issue ?

Seasonal dynamics used to be higher, but is lower today. Fewer number of houses in Croatia is now supplied with water (smaller order of magnitude).

Q52. Management of water losses – are water losses in the supply, uptake side an issue?

On Croatian side there is monitoring of amount of water that entered the system, and difference with amount of water that was taken by consumers. Water losses are monitored on a monthly basis. They are about 8-9 %. Supply network has been restored.

Q53. Is the water availability/demand an issue on supply country or demand country side?

On Croatian side there is a trend of decrease in water consumption.

Q54. Transitional phenomena an issue?

/

Q55. Other technical issues?

/

Q56. Long term planning mechanisms established?

Croatian side is working on a new system, for water supply with water from Croatia (the system has been built).

Q57. LIASON OFFICERS DETERMINED? Communication process determined and functioning?

/

Q58. Joint supervision of the Water Supply System?

Each country supervises its own side. Measuring instruments are contact points.

Q59. Joint management of the water resource?

No, they are managed only by Slovenia.

Q60. Contingency plans existing?

There is no special plan. If a problem occurs, both sides contact each other.

Q61. Main problems identified:

/

Q62. Other comments:

/

Q63. Vision:

WSS has been reconstructed in Croatia, and that system can supply Croatian and Slovenian settlements with water from reservoir Kavrani breg above Lipa, i.e. from springs on Učka and from Rijeka. In such way Croatia wouldn’t need expensive imported water from Ilirska Bistrica, and it would become exporter instead of importer, because Croatia would then sell water for Jelšane. Ilirska Bistrica is more satisfied with current supply of Jelšane (through Croatia). In case of keeping current way of water supply, Croatia requires lower prices for Slovenian water. Changes from May 2014: Slovenians have lowered the price of m3 from 2 EUR to 0.5 EUR, and Liburnijske vode have committed to deliver Slovenian water to Jelšane.

Q64. Do you consider that the legal framework for the CB WSS is adequate, or under-defined:

It is adequate.

Q65. Do you consider that the economic framework for the CB WS is adequate, or under-defined:

The only problem are water prices. Changes from May 2014: Slovenians have lowered the price of m3 from 2 EUR to 0.5 EUR, and Liburnijske vode have committed to deliver Slovenian water to Jelšane.

Q66. Do you consider that the technical framework for the CB WS is adequate, or under-defined:

It is adequate.

Q67. How would you assess general perception of the cross border water supply in public?

There were no problems with Croatian public, the price was always the same, and that’s important to them. Part of the public still thinks that water from Slovenia is supplied all the way to Matulji (not just for 3 settlements).

Q68. Provide in the attachment shp file of the existing water supply network:

It has been provided.

Q69. Provide documents on general state-level framework for the cross-border water supply:

/

Q70. Specific delivery contract:

We have found these contracts: (1) Contract for the supply and prices of water from water supply system “Visoki Kras” (26.09.1972.), between Komunalno stanovanjsko podjetje Ilirska Bistrica and Komunalno poduzeće “Vodovod” Opatija, (2) Contract for the supply and payment of water (1976.), (3) Contract for the sale and supply of water (24.11.1992.), (4) I.Addition to basic contract from 24.11.1992. (24.02.1997.).

Q71. Regulations, technical documentation:

/

Q72. Statistics on the water supplied and payments provided for the last five years:

Provided.