Debar, Macedonia imposes water restrictions amid shortage

The public utility JКП “Standard” has asked residents of Debar and surrounding settlements to use water only for essential needs after a severe drinking‑water shortage emerged. Since 1 July the municipality has limited supply to four‑hour, later five‑hour, windows in the neighborhoods of Veneč 1, Veneč 2, Taranik and Kërnanica, with additional restrictions in Dolno Kosovrasti between 10:00‑13:00.

The utility warned against watering gardens, filling pools or washing courtyards, stating that any non‑essential use reduces the limited volume available for families. Water is drawn from the Rosoki‑Debar pipeline, fed by springs in Rosoki, Mala Reka and other high‑quality sources, and stored in a reservoir that serves over 40 000 people, while the city itself has about 10 000 inhabitants. Officials attribute the shortage to high summer demand, unpaid bills and illegal connections.