Study Tour of Water Companies from Eastern Kosovo

Two regional water companies (RWCs) in South Eastern Kosovo, Hidromorava in Gjilan and Bifurkacioni in Ferizaj, have received Swiss support since 1999. They provide basic service and cover their essential operational expenses with the revenue from the water charges. SDC has commissioned Perreten & Millerette SA to provide an additional support to the two RWCs in the form of coaching of their senior management from November 2007 to October 2009.

In the framework of this coaching project a study tour in Switzerland was planned to allow managers and key staff of the two RWCs to exchange knowledge with Swiss water utilities companies. Skat was invited to organise a five-day study tour during October 2008.  The study tour included the visit of the water works of St. Gallen, the Intercommunal Water Supply Association of the city of Wittenbach and the Technical Service in Weinfelden, a publicly owned private enterprise. The study tour concluded with an exchange workshops, where participants were able to reflect  about their lessons learned.

A total of 17 people participated in the study tour: managers and technical officers of the two RWCs, municipal representatives of the Gjilan and Ferizag municipalities, and representatives of the Coaching Project.