July the 30th, 2022 - Following Istria County, Novalja has become the next tourist destination to introduce restrictions on water consumption/usage, banning the watering of gardens and green spaces, the re-filling of swimming pools, and even car washing.

The heatwave is ongoing, despite little refreshing breaks of violent storms, lightning and heavy rain (which are painfully few and far between), and more destinations across the country are tightening their belts when it comes to water usage.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, due to the record consumption of water in Novalja on the island of Pag, there has been a ban introduced on the filling up of swimming pools, watering gardens and green areas, and washing cars and yards with the use of water from the water supply system while there is enough water for general consumption and it is of good quality, according to the local municipal company Komunalija.

The Director of Komunalija, Neven Korda, told Novalja's residents and tourists alike that the first level of restrictions on water use will be in effect until further notice, as consumption of over 10,500 cubic metres of water per day has been reached, as reported by Fenix ​​magazine.

"Saving water on the islands during the warm summer months is a very common thing, especially when there are a lot of tourists visiting, like there are now," said Korda, pointing out that "back during the record year of 2019, daily consumption didn't exceed 10,000 cubic metres. So there is water, it's of good quality, the pressure is good, but the first level of reduction was introduced merely as a preventive measure to prevent any further problems from occurring,'' concluded Korda.

He added that water comes to the island of Pag and as such to Novalja from Vodovod Hrvatsko primorje - the southern branch of Senj, and from Sveti Juraj, which is the location of the Senj Hydropower Plant, the quantities are currently fairly limited.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.