Cacak Hits Day 24 Without Water, Arilje Relies on Tankers
Cacak entered its 24th day of water restrictions on August 28, Arilje is getting just 44 liters per second, and Brodarevo has gone without water every night since that same evening.
How long can a city go without regular water? Cacak entered its 24th day of restrictions on August 28, and in Arilje the situation is serious enough that water is literally being trucked into the reservoirs by tanker. If you live in western Serbia, here’s what we know and what you can do while it lasts.
How Much Water There Actually Is
The Rzav system, which supplies most of western Serbia, was producing about 570 liters of water per second that day. Cacak was drawing around 305 liters per second from it. Every well in the city is in use, but pressure in the network still drops in the evening, so anyone planning a big cleaning or laundry session is better off doing it before noon.
By municipality, the picture looks like this:
- Arilje, hit hardest, is getting just 44 liters of water per second
- Gornji Milanovac has kept its restriction schedule unchanged
- Lucani, no major problems so far
In Arilje, three tankers are filling the reservoirs, each carrying ten tons of water. Marko Milojevic, acting director of the public utility company Zelen, described it this way for Kurir:
“As assistance, three tankers carrying 10 tons of water each are delivering water to the reservoirs of the Arilje system.”
Why Does Brodarevo Go Without Water Every Night?
At the request of the public utility company Lim, the Prijepolje municipal council introduced restrictions in Brodarevo as well, starting August 28. Water runs there from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., and supply is completely cut off from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. The reason is the yield of the springs, which has dropped to just seven or eight liters per second combined from the two sources. The same problem has been recorded at the Seljasnica spring, and Prijepolje’s municipal inspectors are on the ground monitoring how water is being used.
Prijepolje Municipality president Drago Popadic said the same sentence, but outlets reported it in two slightly different versions. Tanjug quotes him as saying, “No one remembers a situation like this,” while Glas zapadne Srbije cites, “No one remembers the situation being like this.” The message is the same, only the wording differs.
When Will the Drought End?
As of August 29, the Republic Hydrometeorological Service (RHMZ) still had an agrometeorological warning for prolonged drought in effect, along with a hydrological warning for low water levels on the Danube, Sava and Tisza rivers. We reported a few days ago that temperatures are expected to drop and rain to arrive starting Friday, and that, according to officials, is the only thing that could currently improve the situation. Until then, the restrictions in western Serbia remain in place.
What Can You Do While the Restrictions Last?
A few simple steps that actually help, tested in everyday use:
- Fill containers and buckets in the morning, while pressure in the network is at its best, not in the evening when it’s already dropping
- Prioritize drinking and cooking, and leave washing the car or watering the garden for when the restrictions ease up
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or lathering your hands, a small habit that makes a difference by the end of the day
- Report leaks immediately, even a small dripping tap wastes a serious amount of water over days in a situation like this
- Keep a reserve of bottled water at home, especially if you have young children or elderly family members
Our advice is simple: until RHMZ announces serious rain, assume the restrictions in Cacak, Arilje and Brodarevo will stay in effect, and plan your water use in advance, not after the tap has already run dry.
