Slovenian authorities urge water conservation amid drought

The Trbovlje municipal water utility warned residents to use drinking water responsibly as a prolonged dry spell lowers river levels. Manager Tomaž Radič asked people to limit garden irrigation, car washing, pool filling and other non‑essential uses, stressing that there are no legal restrictions, only a request for moderation.

The Zagorje water director Mitja Lazar noted that water inflow still exceeds outflow but acknowledged higher summer consumption. Meanwhile the national Water Directorate reported an extreme rise in unauthorized extraction using submersible pumps from streams. It reminded that such use requires a water permit and is illegal when stream flows fall below ecological thresholds. Violations can incur fines of €400‑€1,200 for individuals and higher penalties for companies, with possible referrals to the environmental inspectorate.