A coordination meeting was held in Prek where a strategic water supply project for the county of Zadar was discussed, with particular focus on the first phase – the water supply for the islands of Zadar. The meeting was attended by representatives of Croatian Waters led by General Director Zoran Đuroković, the Head of the Office of the President of the Government of Croatia, Zvonimir Frka-Petešić, County Prefect Josip Bilaver, and the Mayor of Zadar, Šime Erlić, along with their associates, as well as representatives of the local water utility and project designers.
Significant progress has been made since the last coordination meeting. All 18 conceptual designs for the island part of the system have been submitted for the procedure of obtaining location permits, and ten location permits have already been issued. Two additional location permits have been obtained – for the desalination plants on Silba and Ugljan, along with the associated water reservoirs and pumping stations. Location permits were previously issued for the reconstruction of the Bor pumping station and the underwater pipeline to Ugljan, for the transport systems of Ugljan–Iž, Ugljan–Tun Veli, Tun Veli–Zrće, and Tun V–Ml, for the water supply systems of Rivnj and Sestrunj, Zrce, and part of the Dugi otok, for Kali, Veli Rat, and Savar, as well as for the transport pipeline of Ra with the settlements of Luka, Žman, Zaglav, and Sali. The production of all 60 main projects has been completed.
The first measures defined are the reconstruction of the Bor pumping station, the construction of the second pipe from Zadar to Lukoran on Ugljan, and the construction of the Burnja water reservoir and pumping station. For these measures, the procedure for public procurement is planned in the coming weeks, with work expected to begin in 2027. The new pipe from Zadar to Ugljan is a key prerequisite for the continued development of the system towards other islands, while the Burnja will play an important role in stabilising the water supply of Ugljan and further transport of water to the islands of I, Ra, and Dugi Otok. Parallel to this, the production of project documentation for pipelines to I, Ra, and Dugi Otok is continuing, as is the preparation of documentation for the second pipe from Zr, which would further increase the capacity of the main water supply route.
The Prefect of Zadar, Josip Bilaver, stated that the project is entering a concrete phase of implementation, highlighting the importance of the second pipe from Zr to Zadar. He recalled that the reductions in water during the previous summer had confirmed the need to strengthen the entire system. "We want to avoid a repetition of such situations, but at the same time we must seriously address the problem of losses in the existing network. In this context, the County of Zadar has the full support of the Government of the Republic of Croatia and Croatian Water," said Bilaver.
The Mayor of Zadar, Šime Erli, stated that the project is of crucial importance for the long-term survival of the water supply in the city, the hinterland, and the islands. "The new system provides for the construction of an additional pipe from the source of the Zr to the city, which will be connected to the pumping station in Bor and the underwater pipeline to the island of Ugljan, or Lukoran. This route goes further to Ra and Dugi Otok, as well as to the other smaller islands of Zadar. The priorities, the method of financing, and the support of the Government of the Republic of Croatia and Croatian Water in the realisation of this project, which will solve the problem of sufficient water capacity in the region of Zadar, have been established at the meeting," said Erli.
The Head of the Municipality of Prek, Jure Br, stated that regular coordination and concrete conclusions confirm that the project is being taken seriously. "The project documentation is being prepared for the rest of the system, and I believe that we are moving towards good news for all those who live on our islands," said Br.
