Can I drill a well on my own land without a permit?
Conditional — it depends on whether you use the water for the household or for irrigation and business. In Croatia water is a common good, yet the Water Act gives a landowner the right to use groundwater on their own plot without a water permit — but only within the personal needs of the household (drinking, hygiene and the like), through a well, pump and similar. Here the myth falls that „on my own land I can drill and pump as much as I want, for whatever I want": the moment you use the water for irrigation, a larger pool or a business activity (a family farm, hospitality), you leave personal needs and need Croatian Waters approvals. For such purposes you must first obtain water-permit conditions before drilling, and then a permit to use water (Ordinance on Issuing Water Acts, NN 9/2020). The well itself must also comply with construction rules and must not endanger anyone else's abstraction or the aquifer.
📋 The rules
- Personal household needs: a landowner may without a water permit draw groundwater on their own plot with a well or pump, but only for drinking, hygiene and similar household needs (Water Act).
- Irrigation and business are not personal needs: irrigation and use of water in a technological process or business activity fall outside general use and require a water permit (permit to use water).
- Before drilling — water-permit conditions: for a well intended for irrigation or business you must obtain water-permit conditions from Croatian Waters before making the well, and report the intention to drill to the competent branch (Ordinance on Issuing Water Acts, NN 9/2020).
- Testing the yield: for the permit the yield of the well and the impact of abstraction on the aquifer are as a rule tested, because over-pumping can dry up neighbouring wells and then you are liable for the consequences.
- Rainwater is free: rainwater collected on your own land may be used freely, including for irrigation, without a water permit.
🔓 Exceptions
- Source protection zones: in sanitary protection zones of water sources, drilling and abstraction may be further restricted or banned to protect drinking water.
- Connection to the public water supply: where a public water supply exists, the local authority or supplier may prescribe an obligation to connect, so your own well does not release you from that duty.
- Selling and bottling water: abstracting water for placing on the market is never a personal need — it requires a concession and special permits, regardless of the source being on your land.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
A well for personal household needs on your own land carries no fine and no permit obligation. The risk arises when water is used for irrigation or business without water acts: you are then drawing water with no legal basis, so Croatian Waters and the water inspectorate can order abstraction stopped and a permit obtained, with offence liability. If the well dries up or pollutes a neighbouring source or someone else's well, you are liable for damages, and cleaning up aquifer contamination can be very costly. A hidden trap is the well as a structure: drilling without the necessary acts can raise the question of illegal construction and the cost of subsequent compliance. On top of that, in sanitary protection zones or where there is an obligation to connect to the public supply, unauthorised abstraction can mean extra charges and removal of the connection. The safest course is to check the intention to drill with Croatian Waters in advance.
📎 Official sources
- Croatian Waters (Hrvatske vode) — water acts and water use →
- zakon.hr — Water Act (consolidated text) →
- Narodne novine — Ordinance on Issuing Water Acts (NN 9/2020) →
❓ Frequently asked
Do I need a permit for a well on my own land?
For drawing groundwater solely for personal household needs, such as drinking and hygiene, no water permit is required. The moment you use the water for irrigation or a business activity, you leave personal needs and need water acts from Croatian Waters.
May I irrigate my garden with well water?
Irrigation is not treated as a personal household need, so drawing water for that purpose requires a water permit. Rainwater you collect on your own land, on the other hand, may be used freely for irrigation without any permit.
What must I do before drilling a well?
For a well intended for irrigation or business you must obtain water-permit conditions from Croatian Waters before drilling and report the intention to make the well. For a well solely for household needs these acts are as a rule not required, but it is wise to check local conditions and protection zones.
Can I be liable if I dry up a neighbour's well?
Yes, if by over-pumping you dry up or pollute a neighbouring well or source, the neighbour can claim damages from you. That is why the permit process tests the yield and the impact of abstraction on the aquifer and nearby wells.
Does the rule still apply if I am on the public water supply?
Where a public water supply exists, the local authority or supplier may prescribe an obligation to connect to the network. Your own well then does not release you from that duty, and in sanitary protection zones abstraction may be further restricted.
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