The Fifth Scientific Conference Held  
"Water Losses in Public Water Supply Systems"

The Union of Engineers and Technicians of Serbia, in cooperation with the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the University of Belgrade, the Jaroslav Černi Water Institute, the Engineering Academy of Serbia, the Public Utility Company "Water Supply and Sewerage" Novi Sad, and the Public Utility Company "Water Supply and Sewerage" Kragujevac, organized the Fifth International Scientific Conference entitled "Water Losses in Public Water Supply Systems."

The Conference was held on 12 June 2026 under the auspices of the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia.

The Fifth International Scientific Conference on Water Losses in Public Water Supply Systems once again confirmed its status as the leading regional event dedicated to this topic. All ten presentations were of exceptional quality and addressed highly relevant issues, while all speakers demonstrated outstanding expertise and professional competence. The Conference attracted a large number of participants, including key professionals and decision-makers from the public water supply sector.

A special contribution to the Conference was made through the keynote lecture delivered by Professor Zoran Kapelan  Full Professor at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), the Netherlands.  Professor Kapelan is a distinguished member of the International Water Association (IWA), and a Visiting Professor at the University of Belgrade and the University of Exeter (United Kingdom). His presentation introduced an innovative method for water loss detection based on the automatic processing of real-time flow and pressure data collected from the water distribution system. The methodology employs machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to automate data analysis. In addition to detecting water losses, the proposed approach can also be used to identify other types of failures within water distribution networks.

Water losses in public water supply systems represent one of the most complex economic, environmental, and social challenges of our time. As societies face increasingly severe climate conditions, improving the efficiency of water distribution networks is no longer solely an engineering challenge but has become a matter of strategic importance for the sustainability of communities. Every litre of water that is abstracted, treated, disinfected, and then lost before reaching consumers' taps represents not only a direct financial loss for the utility but also an unnecessary burden on the environment and energy resources. Water losses are not merely a technical indicator reported in annual utility reports—they are a silent reflection of the condition of water supply systems, an economic constraint on the development of public utilities, and ultimately an ethical issue in a world where safe drinking water is becoming an increasingly valuable resource.

This Conference represents a collective response to these challenges by providing a platform for the exchange of knowledge, professional experience, and best practices. Without a systematic and long-term approach to reducing water losses, serious consequences can be expected for the financial sustainability of water utilities, environmental protection, and service users alike.

Based on the presented papers and discussions, the following assessment of the current situation regarding water loss management in public water supply systems was made:

• Lack of a strategic approach aimed at reducing water losses;
• Insufficient investment in system development;
• Water tariffs remain well below the economically sustainable level required for full cost recovery;
• Shortage of qualified professionals within public water utilities;
• Inadequate legislative and regulatory framework;
• Inefficient management practices.

The revised EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184) establishes clear requirements by making water loss management a legal obligation for larger water utilities. The Directive requires accurate measurement, transparent reporting, and the achievement of defined performance targets. The introduction of performance indicators such as the Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) and mandatory monitoring of Non-Revenue Water (NRW) sets new standards for engineers and utility managers that must be achieved to ensure sustainable utility operations.

For this reason, the Conference round-table discussion was dedicated to the topic "The New EU Drinking Water Directive in the Field of Water Loss Control – Initial Implementation Experiences." The introductory presentation was delivered by Jurica Kovač who presented Croatia's first experiences with implementing the new Directive. The objective of the round table was to initiate dialogue between the scientific community, water utility professionals, and policymakers on the opportunities, challenges, and practical steps required for successful implementation of the new EU legislation. The topic generated considerable interest among participants, resulting in extensive discussions, numerous questions, and valuable professional comments.

The Conference reached the following conclusions:

Through the organization of this Conference, considerable efforts were made to raise public awareness of the importance of water loss management and to emphasize the need for a rapid, systematic, and comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges in this field.

Proceedings 

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The Fifth Scientific Conference 
"Water Losses in Public Water Supply Systems"

The Union of Engineers and Technicians of Serbia in cooperation with the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Belgrade, the "Jaroslav Černi" Water Institute,  the Engineering Academy of Serbia,   Public Utility Company “Water and Sewerage” Novi Sad and Public Utility Company “Water and Sewerage” Kragujevac  is organizing the  Fifth Scientific Conference with International Participation “Water Losses in Public Water Supply Systems.”

 Fourth Scientific Conference with International Participation  
"Water Losses in Public Water Supply Systems"

On June 6, 2025, the Fourth Scientific Conference with International Participation titled "Water Losses in Public Water Supply Systems" was held in Belgrade.

The organizer of the Conference was the Union of Engineers and Technicians of Serbia, and the co-organizers were the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Belgrade, the Jaroslav Černi Water Institute, the Engineering Academy of Serbia, Public Utility Company "Water and Sewerage" Novi Sad, and Public Utility Company "Water and Sewerage" Kragujevac. The Conference was held under the patronage of the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia.

At the opening ceremony, the attendees were addressed by Dr. Igor Marić, President of the Union of Engineers and Technicians of Serbia, Mr. Bogdan Vlahović, General Secretary of the Union, Mr. Vladimir Milojević, Executive Director for Development, Design and Investment at PUC "Belgrade Waterworks and Sewerage", and Professor Dr. Branislav Babić, President of the Conference Program Committee.

The main objective of the Conference was to promote and publish the results of scientific research and professional work, as well as to encourage the exchange of ideas and experiences among experts in the fields of planning, construction, and management of water supply systems — with a special focus on water loss management. The issue of water losses in public water supply systems has been increasingly recognized as a highly relevant topic from various perspectives. The organization of the Conference aimed to emphasize the importance of efficient management of water utilities and, in particular, to highlight the issue of responsible water loss management and the sustainable use of this natural resource for future generations — in line with UN Sustainable Development Goal No. 6: “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.”

The Conference addressed the development and improvement of water loss management systems in water supply processes, with the aim of systematizing and transferring acquired knowledge to the level of water utility companies, their founders, and relevant ministries. Another important goal was to point out the need for a clear distribution of responsibilities, as well as the fact that effective and sustainable reduction of drinking water losses requires a legal and financial framework that includes binding regulations, defined objectives, incentive measures, and financial sources.

The Conference also served as an opportunity for the exchange of experiences and examples of good practice, and allowed participants to become acquainted with the latest developments in the field, including equipment and tools for monitoring and managing water losses.

The topics covered during the Conference included the following areas:

Approximately 110 experts from Serbia and abroad participated in the Conference, including employees from universities, institutes, public utility companies, and companies involved in the production and distribution of equipment and software for detecting water losses in water supply systems.

A total of 10 papers by prominent experts from Serbia and abroad were presented at the Conference. The keynote lecture was delivered by Professor Dragan Savić, an international expert in water resources and digital transformation.

All papers presented at the Conference were published in the Conference Proceedings, which is indexed in the SCI (Science Citation Index).

 PROCEEDINGS

Image Highlights from the Conference