Water in Čiovo Running on a Drip: Drought and Pipe Burst
Waterworks director appeals for patience and conservation, Okrug mayor threatens to send firefighters, and locals coin new curses.
Waterworks director appeals for patience and conservation, Okrug mayor threatens to send firefighters, and locals coin new curses.
As the peak of the tourist season scorches the sky and the earth, residents of Čiovo, particularly in Okrug Gornji and Okrug Donji, are facing serious water supply issues. Over the past few days, running water has become a luxury, with availability depending on the time of day and sheer luck. The situation is so tense that local wits have already coined a new curse: "May your water not come until your last tourist leaves your house."
The water supply is extremely unbalanced. While some households have enough water for showers and watering gardens, others go for hours without a single drop. For some, water only appears between three and six in the morning, while for others it disappears as soon as the sun rises. Frustrated residents are stockpiling water in bottles and demijohns, and on social media they are not hiding their anger, partly directed at the numerous apartments and pools that further strain the system.
Ivica Perić, director of "Vodovod i kanalizacija" (Water and Sewage), confirmed to Slobodna Dalmacija that the cause is a combination of extreme heat, increased consumption, and infrastructure failure. "Within a few days of the main pipeline burst, the reservoirs emptied, and it takes time for them to recover, which resulted in the problem on Čiovo," Perić explained.
He added that crews are in the field and are trying to balance the network by manually regulating the inflow. "Unfortunately, those who were first to lose water will be the last to get it back. It's hard to regulate the situation all at once, which is why some people have water while others don't at the same time," he emphasized. Although there is enough water in the system, the director appeals for rational consumption across the Dalmatian region, warning of the catastrophic droughts sweeping Europe.
The mayor of Okrug municipality, Ivica Radić, also sent a clear appeal to citizens. "Rationalize your water consumption. Regardless of the pipe burst that led to water loss issues at certain times of day and night in this municipality, the drought sweeping Europe is a big problem for all of us. Don't waste it left and right; the situation is not good," Radić told Slobodna Dalmacija.
He also announced concrete steps if the situation worsens. "If the problems with unbalanced supply continue, and we officially receive a notice of shortage, we will send fire trucks to the field to ensure water for households," the mayor said.
Although many blamed overconstruction and tourism, some residents correctly linked the issues to the pipe burst in the Kaštela area earlier this week. That failure caused serious disruptions in water supply for the Trogir area and all of Čiovo. "Vodovod i kanalizacija" sent a notice about fifteen days ago asking citizens to use water more sparingly, but it seems the real blow came only now.
