Maradin Mladen
Lončar Jelena
DOI: 10.35666/28310438.2016.4.345
UDC: 502[911.2:556](497.5Istra)
Abstract: The environmental aspect should be framework for development strategies and documents related to spatial planning. The aim of the paper is analysis of all aspects in water supply given by the water municipal companies in the County of Istria to determine the impact of certain activities (tourism) and households on the water usage for the period from 2006 up to the present. Special focus is on to those environmental elements that have direct impact on the availability of water – precipitations and of the terrain/underground features. Water supply system in the researched area are within the responsibility of the three public water municipal companies (Istarski vodovod – Buzet, Vodovod Pula i Vodovod Labin). Due to seasonality of tourism in County of Istria, the highest pressure on the water supply system is during the summer months (June-August) when is the minimum in annual precipitation. The pressure is also highlighted by observed and future climate change and the increase of the number of tourist arrivals in the last decade. Water supply systems meet the needs of the local population and the economy at the time, although the number of consumers constantly grows. There is no significant change in water consumption in last decade. Water consumption depends on hydrological conditions in any given year. As the conclusion, the future problems of the water supply system of Istria is given, considering the scenarios of climate change and planned development of economy and tourism in particular. As an example, the interdependence of water supply and demands for water (in economy/tourism) is analyses on the case of the City of Rovinj.
Key words: Istria, communal infrastructure, water supply, sustainability, precipitation