Last week, I took a short bus ride from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, to a town in western Serbia called Valjevo. I taught an English class to engineers and other workers at companies in water supply and management, heating, and agricultural development. While they practiced their English with me, I was able to learn about the town and its water supply!
Even though I was the "teacher," I learned how important clean rivers are for Valjevo's and Serbian communities. The small town has five rivers running through it, with the Gradac and Kolubara rivers being the most important. The Gradac, is Europe’s cleanest rivers and provides drinking water, and the fast and powerful Kolubara supports farms and a coal mine to grow food and power the town.
Valjevo needs clean water because everyone requires safe drinking water to stay healthy. The clean Gradac River provides this, while the Kolubara supports jobs and electricity through its nearby coal mine, powering the town. Clean rivers also help farmers grow food to feed the community.
