Solution for environmental hazard in Southern Serbia: First phase of Aleksandrovac Lake remediation worth EUR 2.8 million to begin

The City Administration of Vranje has launched a public procurement procedure for the first phase of the long-awaited remediation of the Aleksandrovac Lake.

The estimated value of these capital works is 333 million dinars excluding VAT (approximately EUR 2.8 million).

This project is of great importance for southern Serbia, given that the Aleksandrovac Lake - an artificial reservoir created in 1964 - has long posed a serious environmental threat. Due to intense eutrophication, the lake has seen a massive presence of the highly invasive and potentially carcinogenic blue-green algae (cyanobacteria Raphidiopsis mediterranea/raciborskii), which has previously led to alarming scenes of mass fish die-offs.

Tourism boost

Epidemiological studies have long warned of the risk of these toxins entering the human body through the food chain. Since the lake is no longer used for irrigation, the plan is to completely clean and ecologically stabilize this 120,000-square-meter reservoir, transforming it into a modern tourist and recreational attraction for Vranje.

Documentation for the first phase reveals that the project involves exceptionally complex and extensive hydro-technical works. A key step in revitalizing the lake will be supplying it with clean water from alternative sources. To this end, plans are in place to construct 14 exploration and production wells with an average depth of 15 meters - ten in Zlatokop and four in the Trebesinjska River valley.

The project also entails the construction of two modern pumping stations and two large-scale pressure pipelines, totaling nearly 4.5 kilometers in length, designed to transport clean water directly to the lake.

Furthermore, the tender includes the reconstruction of the existing water intake facility on the Donja Otuljska River, as well as the complete refurbishment of a 1,728-meter-long discharge pipeline.

Rigorous monitoring of sludge and water

Given that draining the lake and removing accumulated bottom sludge carries a significant risk of spreading toxins downstream toward the South Morava River, the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia has imposed strict requirements. The selected contractor will be required to conduct continuous monthly monitoring of water and sediments during the first phase. Only once laboratory analyses confirm that cyanobacteria levels are at a minimum and the presence of their spores in the sludge has been completely eliminated will the conditions be met to proceed to the second phase: full desilting and refilling the lake with clean water.

The deadline for bid submissions is October 19, and further details (in Serbian) are available HERE.

B. P.

Grad Vranje

City of Vranje

Aleksandrovac Lake

remediation