What to Do When Water Runs Out Without Notice? A Citizen's Guide

Unlike electricity, water outages often occur completely without warning. The reasons are usually accidents on an aging distribution network or bursts in main pipelines due to temperature fluctuations. In such situations, citizens often feel helpless, but there are steps you can take to make the outage more manageable.

First Steps and Locating the Issue

When you notice there is no water, first check all the faucets in your apartment to ensure it's not a local plumbing issue. Then, check with your neighbors—if the whole building or street is without water, it's a network failure. The obavesti.rs portal is the fastest way to check if the fault has already been recorded. Our map shows real-time locations of accidents reported by Belgrade Water, Novi Sad Water, Naissus Niš, and other utility systems.

Supplies and Hygiene During Outages

It is always recommended to have a 'first aid kit' consisting of a few large bottles of drinking water. If the outage lasts more than 6-8 hours, municipal services are required to deploy water tankers to the affected areas. You can often find the location of these tankers on obavesti.rs within the specific fault details.

When the Water Returns

Immediately after the repairs, the water might be cloudy or contain air pockets. It is recommended to let the water run for 2 to 5 minutes until it becomes completely clear. Do not use this initial water for drinking or cooking; instead, use it for flushing toilets or watering plants.