We were guests at the citizens’ assembly of the Municipality of Sopot, one of the most water-stressed municipalities in Serbia. The Sopot citizens’ assembly organized a public gathering in the square in front of the municipal building, where representatives of the assembly, Polekol, and several city councilors addressed both the citizens and the authorities.
Under the slogan “Water, our right, not our treasure,” citizens demanded concrete measures to address the long-standing problems of water distribution and supply during the summer months.
“You all understand the situation. The most important thing is to stand together, and that’s why this gathering is so important. It is significant that other municipalities are also participating, so we can support each other and know that we have the right to water, and that what is happening to people in the surrounding settlements is practically discrimination,” said Iva Marković, Program Director of Polekol.
Marković reminded that the United Nations recognized the human right to water back in 2010. The Right to Water initiative has received a total of 16 complaints from residents of the Municipality of Sopot. Citizens report that some parts of Sopot went without water for up to 24 hours, while others were without it for several days. On this occasion, the citizens’ assembly of the Municipality of Sopot addressed the municipality with official requests.
Daily water restrictions have been in place since the beginning of June. Authorities say the water shortage is caused by excessive non-essential consumption, which exceeds the water supply system’s capacity. The municipality has therefore urged all users not to use drinking water for filling swimming pools or irrigation systems.
Citizens say they are not to blame and that the notices on JP Sopot’s official website do not match the real situation on the ground in terms of timing and duration of the restrictions. According to their accounts, water pressure is poor, and the quality of water is low when it does arrive. They report witnessing non-essential water use by municipal institutions for activities that are not necessary for normal operations. Citizens also complain about large producers and draw attention to unplanned urban development and the rapid expansion of tourist facilities in the municipality, particularly on the slopes of Kosmaj.
