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