Slovakia at risk of penalties as few villages connected to sewage

Once again, the Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ) has warned both the Slovak government and parliament that the pace of connecting households to public sewage system is low, and does not amount to even 1 percent per year.

Between 2015 and 2021, the share of residents connected to sewage increased by only 5 percentage points. Neither is Slovakia's development goal of supplying drinking water to at least 90 percent of its citizens being achieved.

NKÚ says the country is in imminent risk of financial penalties resulting from the failure to fulfil the long-term national goals to which the government signed up by joining the EU.

"In 20 years, nearly €2 billion were reinvested in Slovakia in the construction of new sewers and wastewater treatment plants, while a significant part of this amount is European financial aid. Despite this aid, Slovakia was unable to achieve its commitment to connect all municipalities with more than 2,000 residents to the public sewage system by the end of 2015, or to ensure their access to drinking water without any problem," says NKÚ head Ľubomír Andrassy.

According to the office, postponing or not achieving set goals can have a negative impact on the quality of the environment and the health of the population, endangering drinking water supplies.

Critical situation in southern Slovakia

In 2021, the number of people connected to the public sewage system reached 3.85 million, with only 1,155 of all 2,890 municipalities connected.

The worst is in southern Slovakia, with the most critical situation in the districts of Trebišov, Krupina and Rimavská Sobota.

NKÚ says state institutions have long been failing to fulfil their obligations and the European Commission has already started an infringement process against Slovakia. The problem is the lack of clarity and fragmented competences of a large number of institutions involved, as well as their lack of communication and coordination.