According to the available data, 43% of the total population of Croatia is connected to wastewater treatment to varying degrees, while 55% is connected to the public sewage system, which is the lowest figure in the EU, as reported by Hrvatske Vode (Croatian Waters) magazine.

The current level of wastewater treatment in Croatia is low compared to most EU countries. Croatia needs to invest significantly in municipal infrastructure and apply the principles of the Circular Economy Action Plan more strongly to wastewater treatment, the article states.

Denmark has the highest percentage of inhabitants connected to the public wastewater system in the EU (92%), followed by Belgium, Finland and Sweden, where between 80% and 90% of the population is connected.

Croatia has the lowest connection rate, just ahead of Romania, where 43% of the population was connected to the public sewage system in 2009 and this figure is set to rise to 56% by 2020.

Outdated infrastructure

The wastewater disposal system in Croatia covers 1,842,884 inhabitants who are connected to 195 active municipal wastewater treatment plants.

Secondary treatment predominates in the Danube catchment area, while primary treatment with discharges into the sea is more common in the Adriatic catchment area. There are also 18 wastewater treatment plants that have been built but are not in operation.

There are more than 5,300 settlements in Croatia, each with fewer than 500 inhabitants and a total population of around 800,000. Setting up organised, centralised wastewater treatment in these settlements is a major challenge.

Another problem in Croatia is the outdated wastewater infrastructure. In the large cities, parts of the network are over 50 or even 70 years old. Such a network requires considerable investment to ensure that wastewater is properly channelled to the treatment plants.

The authors of the article emphasise that wastewater treatment prior to discharge into the environment is essential for environmental protection, maintaining water quality and protecting human health.