What did the Western Balkan WWTP Operators learn from the Swiss Utilities?

Organised with the support from the Swiss and German Government through the Swiss Water Association (VSA) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GIZ, the programme was designed around the idea of learning directly from daily operations. Participants from the Western Balkans were paired with Swiss operators and spent several days working side by side with them at wastewater treatment plants similar in size, treatment processes or operational context to their own facilities.  

From visitors to peers 

The programme started with 19 wastewater treatment plant operators from six Western Balkan countries arriving in Switzerland and joining their Swiss hosts across 15 wastewater treatment plants all over Switzerland. On the first day, participants were introduced to the facilities, teams, processes and daily management practices of their host plants. The exchanges quickly opened space for direct practitioner-to-practitioner dialogue on treatment processes, maintenance practices, energy efficiency, resource recovery, biogas production and work organisation. 

"As GIZ/RCDN, our goal with this Twinning Programme was never just knowledge transfer, it was about breaking the isolation of wastewater operators across the Western Balkans and building lasting professional connections that will outlive any single programme. We wanted our participants to see firsthand that their work matters, that it can be elevated, and that the future — from 4th stage treatment to energy production and carbon footprint reduction — is reality and not so far away. I am fully confident that stronger operators mean stronger institutions and stronger institutions mean better services for the communities that depend on them. And I truly believe that our citizens will increasingly recognize how vital clean water and wastewater services are for our health, for our environment, and for the future we all share.”-  Jusufhodzic, Aida, Advisor at GIZ. 

RCDN and VSA representatives Aida and Lukas visited ARA Gurbetal and ARA Thunersee in the Canton of Bern, where operators from Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina were hosted by their Swiss counterparts. The visits highlighted both similarities and differences between the Swiss plants and the participants’ home facilities. Particular attention was given to investments in energy efficiency, self-sufficiency, reduced CO₂ emissions and biogas production. Participants also reflected on how work is organised on site, showing that knowledge transfer goes beyond technology and includes management culture, responsibilities and continuous professional development. 

“This twinning process is not a one-way learning experience. We can learn just as much from our colleagues from the Western Balkans. I have visited many wastewater treatment plants in the region and have always been impressed by what operators achieve with very limited resources. The real value of this exchange is that we learn from each other, and that benefit goes both ways.”- Ingo Shoppe manager WWTP Tunersee 

On the second day, the exchange moved deeper into operational issues. Participants visited ARA Chur in the Canton of Graubünden, where Gabriela Belchevska from JP Vodovod Kumanovo, an operator from North Macedonia spent the day with Swiss counterparts. The discussions focused on process optimisation, reducing maintenance costs, efficient sludge analysis and management, and innovations in energy production. 

“The examples of automatic regulation of processes, SCADA optimization and energy management offers clear guidance and practical roadmap toward energy neutrality for our facility WWTP Kotor – Tivat in Montenegro which is currently undergoing its reconstruction. Herewith, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our host Mr. Timo Barbieri and his colleagues for their open hospitality and professional exchange.” – highlights his experience Mr. Marko Šćepanović who was hosted at ARA Birs together with his colleague Ana Castelli.  

The visit to ARA Chur also offered an important lesson: even a plant built more than 50 years ago can meet very demanding modern treatment standards through thoughtful reconstruction, targeted upgrades and smart operational improvements. Participants were particularly impressed by the plant’s fully equipped workshop, where staff carry out much of the servicing and equipment maintenance in-house, reducing dependence on external contractors. 

Another important takeaway came from the involvement of a cantonal representative, who explained the role of public authorities in supporting wastewater services. The Swiss experience showed that strong wastewater performance depends not only on skilled operators and good technology, but also on consistent institutional support and the fair application of environmental legislation. 

The third day, RCDN representative visited ARA KEZ in the Canton of Zurich, a plant responsible for treating wastewater from three municipalities before discharge into Lake Zurich, one of Switzerland’s most protected water bodies. This plant hosted the operator from Kosovo. The plant demonstrated how ambitious engineering and long-term investment can expand capacity and improve performance: a new facility has been constructed beneath the existing plant, introducing significant innovations, including in sludge treatment. The visit also showed that effective wastewater management is not only technical. ARA KEZ presented its public engagement work, including a small on-site museum used to connect with the local community and build trust in wastewater services. For participants, this was a reminder that transparency, communication and public understanding are also part of strong wastewater management. 

“I think the most important in the wastewater treatment is that laws have to be enforced by everyone, especially by the authorities. And it's not an easy job but I think it has to be done and it has to be spoken out clearly to all the operators.” Thomas Maron, Cantonal Authority 

Associations as multipliers of knowledge 

The programme also included representatives of four partner associations from the Western Balkans: AWM - Association of Waterworks of Montenegro, UTVSI – Association for Water Technology and Sanitary Engineering of Serbia, SHUKALB – Water Supply and Sewerage Association of Albania, and SHUKOS – Water and Wastewater Works Association of Kosovo where the Communities of Practice of wastewater operators are embedded. 

They joined Swiss colleagues at the offices of the Association of Swiss Wastewater and Water Protection Experts – VSA in Zurich to discuss how lessons from the twinning experience can be transformed into longer-term impact for utilities and associations across the region. The discussions focused on integrating twinning experiences into training programmes and Communities of Practice, strengthening knowledge sharing, communication and advocacy, enhancing the role of associations in sector development, and identifying opportunities for future cooperation. This part of the programme underlined the importance of associations as multipliers: ensuring that the knowledge gained by individual operators reaches utilities and professionals across the wider sector. 

“I was impressed with the extensiveness of the offer of competence development measures of VSA and the variety of communication tools and formats they are using to reach different target groups, which could certainly be taken as examples and contextualized by the associations from the Western Balkan region” – underlined his impressions Hari Shutoski, Advisor for Capacity Development in GIZ.  

A joint visit to Wastewater Association Glarnerland 

The programme concluded with a joint visit to the Wastewater Association Glarnerland in Bilten, followed by a reflection workshop bringing together Western Balkan participants, Swiss hosts, VSA and GIZ representatives. According to the programme agenda, the final joint excursion included a visit to a Swiss state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant, input on cantonal law enforcement and a reflection meeting with Swiss hosts. The final visit provided insights into advanced wastewater treatment solutions, including sludge management, micropollutant removal, energy recovery and resource efficiency. The reflection workshop created space to discuss what participants had learned, which practices could be adapted in their local contexts, and how the new professional relationships can continue beyond the week in Switzerland. 

Building lasting professional links 

The RCDN Twinning Programme demonstrated the value of peer-to-peer learning in a sector where practical experience matters. Participants exchanged knowledge on daily operational challenges, identified ideas for improving their own plants, and built direct relationships with Swiss operators who can continue to support informal knowledge exchange after the programme. 

“As a follow-up, I would like that operators from Switzerland visit the WWTP in the Western Balkan region. In the meantime, I wish we stay in contact and we all maintain high motivation for work at the WWTP” - said Bunjamin Mustafi from ARA KEZ who has his own roots from the Western Balkan region. 

The agenda of the programme clearly defined the expected outcomes: participants were expected to gain deep insight into Swiss WWTPs, define action plans for adapting knowledge to their own facilities, establish long-term relationships with Swiss operators and visit a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant in Switzerland. 

By connecting operators, associations and institutions across borders, the programme showed that improving wastewater services is not only about infrastructure. It is also about people, institutions, communication, trust and the professional networks that make continuous improvement possible. 

While the exchange in Switzerland has ended, the relationships, ideas and commitment built during the week are expected to continue through follow-up cooperation, knowledge sharing and practical improvements in wastewater services across the Western Balkans.