Drought‑induced water restrictions strain Balkans and Slovenia

In Slovenia, the public water utility KSP Litija has introduced emergency water‑use limits, allowing drinking, food preparation, personal hygiene and essential household needs while prohibiting irrigation of gardens, vehicle washing and filling of private tanks until water supplies normalise.

In Croatia’s Slavonia region, prolonged heat and a month‑long lack of rain have devastated corn and sunflower crops. Farmer Matej Omazić said, “Zrna skoro da i nema, nije se ni nalilo kako treba, nije bilo kiše kada je trebalo najviše.” Experts warn that even occasional rain will not rescue the harvest and stress the need for large‑scale irrigation projects.

Bosnia and Herzegovina faces similar pressures. Agricultural unions report burnt crops, rising food prices and a looming shortage of water for irrigation. In Tuzla, JKP “Vodovod i kanalizacija” warns that reservoir levels are critically low and urges residents to use drinking water only for basic needs, avoiding garden watering, pool filling and street cleaning. The civil‑protection service stresses that “every litre of water is important” to keep the supply stable.

The municipality of Mače (Croatia) also called on residents to limit non‑essential water use, noting a significant drop in spring water levels after an extended dry spell. Across the region, health officials remind that extreme heat increases dehydration risk, especially for the elderly, and that both insufficient and excessive water intake can be hazardous.