In early 1992, following the adoption of the Serbian Water Law, three public water management companies were established across the territory of Republic of Serbia, covering the entire country. These companies are:
- PWMC “Danube”, headquartered in Novi Sad,
- PWMC “Sava”, headquartered in Belgrade,
- PWMC “Morava”, headquartered in Niš.
PWMC “Danube” is responsible for the areas of Bačka, Banat, and northeastern Serbia. In addition to its core water-management duties—flood protection from external and internal waters and the maintenance of water-management facilities, whose number increased significantly after the reorganization—the company invests considerable efforts in developing irrigation systems and improving water quality in watercourses.
Significant funds are allocated for maintaining existing water-management facilities; however, they remain insufficient. Investments have largely ceased, despite the need to protect extensive agricultural areas, industrial plants, built infrastructure, and cities.
Under such conditions, the Danube–Tisa–Danube (DTD) Hydrosystem in Bačka and Banat, which operates continuously, remains in use, although its maintenance is limited. The most pressing issues include siltation of canals in highly vulnerable sections, as well as the upkeep of major hydraulic structures, particularly their electro-mechanical components.
The company’s primary revenue continues to come from drainage fees and other water-related charges, which have not been collected at the planned levels. The situation was especially difficult in 1993, when hyperinflation further undermined operations.
The generally unfavorable state of water management can be attributed to the secession of the former Yugoslav republics, the introduction of international sanctions, and the ongoing armed conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. The revitalization of water management is expected to be supported by the adoption of the Water Management Master Plan of the Republic of Serbia and the Spatial Plan of Serbia, which would harmonize key water-management interests. Until then, amid the crisis, only minimal resources are used to prevent the deterioration of existing facilities.
Despite substantial objective difficulties, development initiatives—primarily focused on irrigation—have continued to be considered. In 1994, an Irrigation Program for the “Danube” water area was adopted. According to this program, by 1997, following the construction of all regional irrigation hydrosystems, approximately 1,250,000 hectares could be irrigated. At the time, existing capacities provided irrigation water for about 180,000 hectares, while completion of the first construction phase could increase coverage to around 250,000 hectares.
The expansion of intensive agricultural production—primarily through irrigation—would increase crop output, boost employment, engage construction capacities, and enable rapid returns on invested capital through higher production. However, these plans require substantial investments, the realization of which depended largely on the lifting of international sanctions.
PWMC “Danube” also sought to mitigate the problem of polluted watercourses. Efforts were initiated to develop a Polluters Register within the area, a complex and highly specialized task given the large number of pollution sources. To comprehensively address the issue, cooperation with neighboring countries within shared river basins was renewed to assess the quality of waters entering from abroad.
In recent years, considerable attention has been devoted to the prospects of water supply in Serbia, particularly in Vojvodina. According to experts, the main challenge lies in the uneven spatial and temporal distribution of water resources. The development concept for water supply must be based on the use of all available water resources, with centralized water-regime management to ensure water quality, cleanliness, protection, and stable groundwater levels, which are predominantly used for public supply.
Water supply in Vojvodina could face a critical situation, as drinking water is largely sourced from groundwater. Since groundwater extraction exceeds natural recharge, significant declines in groundwater levels have occurred. Consequently, some experts warned that, if such practices continue, Vojvodina could face serious water-supply challenges. The solution is seen in comprehensive groundwater research and the adoption of a new Water Law, which would introduce important organizational reforms.
Overall, the post-war period witnessed a strong surge in water management, marked by the construction of one of the largest human-made undertakings—the Danube–Tisa–Danube Hydrosystem, often referred to as a “new river.” Designed to meet the needs of the regions they traverse, the canals serve not only agriculture but also industry, urban areas, navigation, and other sectors. Although not all technical and economic potentials of the system have been fully utilized, the canals contribute integrally to economic development and improve overall living conditions.
In this way, the Danube–Tisa–Danube Hydrosystem significantly altered the geographical landscape of the Vojvodina plains and, even more importantly, stimulated economic development—affirming the historical fact that human settlements have most readily developed near water.
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