Country Profile Regulation Country Dashboards Tariffs Kosovo is a state situated in Southeast Europe, on the Balkan peninsula. It is a landlocked country, bordered by Serbia to the north and east, North Macedonia to the south, Albania to the west, and Montenegro to the northwest. Kosovo is a partially recognized state that self-declared its independence from Serbia in 2008. Based on the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the country is divided into seven districts subdivided into 38 municipalities. The largest district is the capital city, Pristina, which has a little less than half a million people. Country Overview Year Population 2021 1,806,279 Country Area (km2) 2021 10,887 GDP (billion USD) 2021 9.01 GDP per capita (USD) 2021 4,986 World Bank Income Group 2022 Upper middle Income World Bank Region 2022 Europe & Central Asia Source: World Bank Data Kosovo Water And Wastewater Sector Structure The Kosovo water sector is managed at national and local levels, whereas the provision of water and wastewater services is the responsibility of Regional Water Companies (RWCs). Owned by the central government, RWCs are regulated and licensed by the independent water sector regulator – the Water Services Regulatory Authority of Kosovo (ARRU). Municipalities, on the other hand, exercise control over RWCs by appointing utility board members. Seven RWCs geographically correspond to districts of Kosovo and provide approximately 79% of the population with water and wastewater services. The rest of the population is supplied by individual systems or by those managed by communities. Authority Level Role Kosovo Inter-ministerial Water Council National Coordinates and supports various institutions involved in water management, and proposes measures for the development, utilization, and protection of the country's water resources Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning, and Infrastructure National Responsible for the management and administration of water resources including water abstraction permits and wastewater discharge for RWCs Ministry of Economy National Responsible for the administration of RWCs Water Services Regulatory Authority of Kosovo (ARRU) National Independent authority responsible for regulating activities of water service providers National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo (NIPHK) National Responsible for monitoring and implementation of drinking water standards Regional water companies (RWC) Regional Regulated public companies, responsible for the provision of water and wastewater services Number of WSS Service Providers 7 Ownership Public Service Type Water and Wastewater Geographic Scope Regional The Water Services Regulatory Authority (ARRU) is an independent authority responsible for regulating the activities of water service providers in Kosovo. In accordance with Law no. 05/L-042, ARRU was established in 2004 and responds to the Assembly of Kosovo which appoints the director and the deputy director of ARRU. It is funded by the Budget of the Republic of Kosovo, in accordance with the Law on Public Financial Management and Accountability. The RWCs also pay ARRU an annual licensing fee up to a percentage point (1.5%) of a gross annual billing reported in its income statement for the previous year. ARRU consists of four departments and an inspection unit. Three departments are responsible for regulatory activities – Tariff Department, Law & Licensing Department, and the Performance Report Department, and one for office work – Administration and Finance Department. The Inspection unit oversees the implementation of WSRA legal acts. Mission Regulation of water services effectively and transparently in accordance with good European practices which ensure that water service providers provide quality, sustainable and affordable services throughout Kosovo, taking into account the preservation of the environment and protection of Public Health. Water and Wastewater Regulations Legislation and Policies Year Description Law No. 04/L-147 on Waters of Kosovo 2013 Regulates issues related to the management, planning, protection, and institutional responsibilities in regard to water and water resources. Law No. 03/L-087 on Publicly Owned Enterprises 2008 Establishes a legal framework governing the exercise of ownership rights in publicly owned enterprises and related activities. Law No. 05/L-042 for Regulation of Water Services 2015 Provides the authorizations, responsibilities, and mandate for the regulation of water services in Kosovo of ARRU. Areas of Regulation Areas Water Services Regulatory Authority (ARRU) Tariff Calculation Yes Tariff Approval Yes Licensing Water and/or Wastewater Service Providers Yes Business plans approvals Yes Performance indicators monitoring Yes Economic Data Collection Yes Technical Data Collection Yes Coming Soon... Utilities Utility Date Tariff RWC Pristina Jan 2022 Tariff RWS Hydroregiion Jugor Jan 2022 Tariff RWC Hidrodrini Jan 2022 Tariff A more complete list of tariffs can be found at IBNET Tariff Database - Kosovo