Institutions monitoring situation in coordinated manner, implementing preventive measures due to heatwave

The Government of the Republic of Serbia announced today that the Emergency Response Operational Team is meeting daily and monitoring the situation and activities undertaken regarding the low water level of the Danube, the heatwave and the risk to water supply.

Taking into account the announced continuation of the heatwave, the unfavourable hydrological situation and the extremely low water level of the Danube, the Operational Team, which includes Prime Minister Professor Đuro Macut, MD, Sci, line ministers and representatives of the competent ministries and other competent authorities, considered the consequences for water supply, the functioning of the Danube-Tisa-Danube Hydrosystem, the economy, agriculture and other sectors.

There are no restrictions on water supply due to water shortages in most of Serbia.

The Environmental Protection Agency is conducting regular and extraordinary monitoring of the water quality of the Danube and Sava rivers, while the Vojvodina Institute of Public Health is conducting an analysis of the risk of deterioration in the quality and contamination of surface waters.

The Institute of Public Health of Serbia Dr Milan Jovanović Batut continues to monitor the health of drinking water, the state of water supply and possible disruptions in supply.

The situation with electricity supply is under control and there is no fear of the application of restrictive measures.

The Operational Team concluded that low water levels pose a serious challenge for river traffic and transport, as they reduce the carrying capacity of vessels, extend transport times and increase transport costs.

Thanks to timely measures implemented by the competent institutions, navigation on the Danube through Serbia has not been stopped, but is taking place in difficult conditions. The biggest problem is currently in some neighbouring Danubian countries, where critically low water levels have led to restrictions on navigation and the cancellation of some passenger cruises.

The risk to public health due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures is assessed as elevated, while for the Rasina and Pčinja districts it is assessed as high.

The Labour Inspectorate of the Ministry of Labour has organised intensified, extraordinary inspections on the territory of the entire Republic over the implementation of safety and health measures for employees working outdoors at high daytime temperatures.