The cloudy and brown water flowing from the taps in Gostivar these days has raised the alarm among institutions, especially after the city's hospital was flooded with citizens complaining of diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and fever. In just a few days, more than 1.200 people sought medical attention. The Food and Veterinary Agency (AFV) has issued a ban on the use of water from the city's water supply until the results of the analysis are received.
Meanwhile, the Prosecutor's Office, the police, and several state institutions are conducting an investigation to determine how the possible contamination of drinking water occurred and whether this is the reason for the sharp increase in the number of sick citizens.
Conflicting information about the causes of the epidemic
While some authorities assure that there is still no proof of a direct connection between water and health problems, information is coming from the field that raises serious doubts.
The director of the PE "Vodovod" Gostivar, Artana Asani, said in a statement to Telma that the cause of the epidemic may not be the drinking water, but the food consumed by the citizens. According to her, among the people who sought medical help there were also citizens who used exclusively bottled water, which according to her indicates that the source of the infection may not be the water supply system.
However, the findings from the surveillance conducted show a worrying picture.
Wildly placed pumps in the water supply system
The Food and Veterinary Agency informed that during an extraordinary inspection, it was determined that a pump was installed on the main pipeline of the water supply network without approval, which directly injected water from the Vardar River into the water supply system.
The police, however, announced even more serious findings. According to information from the Tetovo State Police, it is not one, but three pumps installed in a wastewater drainage basin. Through them, the water was directly fed into the main pipeline that supplies Gostivar with drinking water.
"This activity was most likely undertaken in order to increase pressure in the network due to a shortage of drinking water, which directly endangers the health of citizens," the police said.
The prosecution has opened an investigation.
At the direction of a public prosecutor from the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Gostivar, inspectors from the Foreign Office for Criminal Affairs conducted an inspection in Vrutok, where part of the water supply infrastructure is located.
The Tetovo State Police Department informs that the case is being investigated as a possible criminal offense of "pollution of drinking water", provided for and punishable under Article 219 of the Criminal Code.
The investigation includes the Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Interior, the Institute of Public Health, the Food and Veterinary Agency, the State Environmental Inspectorate, and an independent licensed expert who is to prepare an expert report on the state of the system.
Over 1.200 infected in four days
The director of the Dr. Ferid Murad General Hospital, Dr. Emri Bajrami, said that over a period of three to four days, between 1.000 and 1.200 patients with almost identical symptoms were registered. Most of the patients complained of diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, fever and weakness.
Experts from the Institute of Public Health took water samples at several locations in the city. Until the final results are announced, the ban on drinking and using water from the Gostivar water supply remains in effect.
"Sloboden Pechat" reported that teams from the Institute of Public Health encountered resistance from a group of citizens while collecting water samples, who allegedly tried to prevent the officials from carrying out their work.
