Free Flow

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ater

ducation

and

nstitutional

evelopment

Current knowledge and practice is mainly imple-

mented in large urban areas where educated people live

and access to information is easy. Even in large cities

where urban sprawl occurs, especially during turbu-

lent times when uncontrolled urbanization phenomena

take place, a lack of proper planning and construction

of infrastructure systems – particularly sanitation –

means that the implementation of regulations related to

water leaves a lot to be desired. The Urban Waste Water

Treatment Directive

has been implemented despite

difficulties due to economy problems, underbuilt water

and sewage systems and especially a complete lack of

wastewater treatment plants.

On the other hand, vast populations live in rural areas

or small towns where procedures and standards applied

in everyday practice belong to traditional ways of living

rather than to up-to-date accomplishments and regula-

tions. If we take for an example the situation in Serbia,

more than 95 per cent of water professionals live in five

large cities – Belgrade, Nis, Novi Sad, Kragujevac and

Subotica – according to data from the Serbian Chamber

of Engineers. Governmental and intergovernmental insti-

tutions and projects should foster a policy of permanent

education, employment opportunities and technical

improvement in less developed regions in order to create

the conditions for environment preservation.

European directives are quite restrictive in terms

of further development that would be of benefit for

the environment. In that regard, the implementation

of directives should be extended to sustainable use of

water through irrigation, energy production and naviga-

tion, but also through recreational use of water such as

water sports, boating and so on.

Ecological status in river basins depends on population occupancies

and the human activities practiced. Urban areas and industrial centres

alter natural conditions in the basins and could put extensive pressure

on the environment. Urbanization is an emerging process induced by

many causes such as job opportunities, young people seeking educa-

tion, social status, medical security and cultural facilities. Due to the

occupancies of large areas with urban amenities, more farmland and

wildlife habitats are displaced by impervious surfaces. At the same

time, increases in pollution sources such as soot, industrial fumes and

motor vehicle exhaust gases directly impact all environmental aspects,

such as water and air pollution, the water cycle, flora and fauna.

Via Militaris

Serbia’s Via Militaris is the focus of a project to connect archaeological and

historical heritage with water resources

Source: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Belgrade

The River Temska (left) and Stara Mountain (right) in Eastern Serbia are areas with abundant water resources, flora and fauna

Image: Tamara Jankovic, 2012