Air pollution from a coal-fired power plant in Kosovo. Original image by flickr user World Bank Photo Collection (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0)
The Bank Information Center has just released a new study on the Kosovo water system. The study reflects concerns on the World Bank’s support for the proposed Kosovo Power Project (NKPP). The authors present and discuss several issues related to the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for this project, with an emphasis on the role of water resources in the project.
Authors of the study, Ms. Heike Mainhardt and Mr. Nezir Sinani suppose that the available water system modeling results do not represent a realistic range of potential water demand scenarios for the Iber-Lepenc system.
The modeling results are based on a very limited selection of data inputs. On the assumption of this opinion there is a substantial need for more data and information collection and thorough monitoring.
Authors make a number of recommendations, the most significant of which are the following:
- To halt the preparation of the ESIA until boiler design, cooling technology, and pollution abatement technologies have been specified for the KRPP because it is impossible to evaluate the water use of the new plant without such specifications.
- Collect primary data, including: population growth, water connections, groundwater parameters, water demand and consumption, water uses, climatic parameters, groundwater quality and abstraction, land use information, and sources/levels of pollution, which in some cases will involve a period of continuous monitoring.
- Account for water use by the expanded open pit coal mining operations and conveyance of coal from the mine to the power plant, including: dust suppression, coal washing, and machinery lubrication.
- Determine how pollution, including water pollution, from coal production and combustion impact Kosovo meeting EU quality standards for its agricultural products.
- Given the project area already suffers from severe pollution, the ESIA needs to consider the additional project-associated surface water and groundwater pollution in the context of cumulative impacts (e.g., the current high concentration of heavy metals in soil and river sediments will increase and continue to leach into the water supply).
The full report is available below:
World Bank Kosovo Power Project Environmental and Social Impact Assessment: Comments on the Kosovo Ibër Lepenc Water System Study, Heike Mainhardt and Nezir Sinani, January 2013
