Rijeka Faces Water Supply Cuts: Springs Running Dry
After the Zvir 2 spring was activated, ViK director Damir Togunjac warns that it is necessary to immediately cease all consumption not essential for life and health
After the Zvir 2 spring was activated, ViK director Damir Togunjac warns that it is necessary to immediately cease all consumption not essential for life and health
Due to adverse weather conditions and reduced capacity of the springs supplying the water system, Rijeka and its surroundings face the possibility of direct water supply reductions. Over the past three days, as Damir Togunjac, director of the utility company Vodovod i kanalizacija (ViK), confirmed to Novi list, the yield of the springs has dropped significantly further.
In two weeks, from August 1 to August 14, the yield of Zvir, the largest and most important spring supplying Rijeka and the surrounding area, fell from 910 liters per second to 740 liters per second. The measured water level at the spring simultaneously dropped from 5.80 to 5.55 meters.
As a result, water from the Zvir 2 spring has been brought into use, a measure taken extremely rarely and only during extreme droughts, such as the one that has hit Kvarner this year. Zvir 2 was activated on August 10 as a supplementary supply to Zvir, with a flow of approximately 90 liters per second, drawing water from the first three of its six wells.
According to ViK data, the Zvir and Zvir 2 springs currently supply 64 percent of the entire water supply system. Other coastal springs, Martinšćica, Perilo, Dobrica, and Dobra, are operating at full capacity, but there are concerns that due to low yields, they could begin to draw in seawater, further straining an already overburdened system reliant on Zvir and Zvir 2.
The pressure on the system is evident from the fact that since water-saving measures were introduced last Friday, the daily volume of water drawn from Zvir has decreased by 12 percent. The average before Friday was 63,000 cubic meters per day, while yesterday it fell to 55,200 cubic meters. Across the entire system, the reduction is only one percent, as Zvir 2 and other springs are being utilized.
Togunjac emphasizes that it can be concluded that residents of Rijeka and the surrounding area have not fully grasped the seriousness of the situation, and he has sent a new letter to local government units.
We are entering a period in which it is necessary to introduce stricter water use measures without delay. In order to avoid as long as possible the application of extreme measures, namely direct supply reductions, it is urgently necessary to cease all consumption that is not crucial for life and health. Therefore, we ask you to, within your powers and through all communication channels of your local government, call on citizens and businesses to immediately stop activities such as watering lawns, gardens, and agricultural areas, washing private and public roads, and filling pools and fountains with water from the public water supply. Also, we ask you to adjust the municipal activities of your city or municipality and ensure appropriate field supervision to prevent any further irrational water use. Given the extraordinary circumstances, we trust in your swift response and continued close cooperation in preserving the remaining water reserves.
All city administrative bodies, commercial and utility companies, and institutions have been ordered to implement concrete measures to reduce water consumption. The City of Rijeka has adopted a decision prohibiting or temporarily suspending the use of drinking water for watering public green areas, parks, flower beds, children's playgrounds, and sports fields. The only exception is young saplings and trees for which water is crucial for survival.
Washing of streets, squares, parks, playgrounds, beaches, and other public places has been reduced to a minimum, carried out only when absolutely necessary for hygiene, health, or safety. The operation of decorative fountains using water from the public supply has been halted, except where shutting them down is not possible for technical or safety reasons.
Washing of municipal, official, and other vehicles has also been reduced, and city services and institutions must analyze all water use and reduce consumption wherever possible. Where technical and sanitary conditions are met, technical or alternative water will be used for washing, watering, and similar purposes, rather than drinking water from the public system.
Last Friday, the City of Rijeka, as the largest consumer of drinking water, and the utility company Vodovod i kanalizacija called on citizens, businesses, and the tourism sector to use water responsibly. Citizens are asked not to fill pools, postpone car washing, avoid using drinking water for lawns and decorative areas, and postpone washing boats, terraces, and other outdoor spaces. It is also recommended to check for leaks in household installations and to run washing machines and dishwashers only when fully loaded.
A special appeal is made to companies, tourist facilities, and other large water consumers to review their consumption and eliminate any unnecessary use of drinking water. During this week, if the hydrometeorological situation does not change, meaning if there is no significant rainfall, the Rijeka city administration will decide on possible additional measures.
