Don't politicize Demir Kapija drinking-water ban, utility director urges

The acting director of the municipal utility that manages the water supply in Demir Kapija appealed to politicians and the public not to exploit the temporary ban on drinking water for political gain, after authorities announced that water from the town system was prohibited for drinking and food preparation.

Conflicting test results prompted the ban

The ban was introduced after tests taken from the same sampling point on Monday and Tuesday produced different results. Local officials say the inconsistency is the reason the water supply was declared unsafe for drinking and for preparing food while further checks continue.

"There is no need to create tension and additional fear among citizens. These situations are not happening for the first time, and the most important thing is to act responsibly and in accordance with established professional procedures," Petar Jovanov, acting director of the Public Communal Enterprise Bosava (JKP Bosava), told residents.

Jovanov explained that it is not possible to determine in advance why the two analyses yielded different outcomes, and that additional testing and inspections are under way to clarify the cause.

"There are several possible factors, including the possibility of contamination during sampling, transport or handling of the sample, but at the same time one cannot rule out that the problem originates from the water supply system itself. That is precisely why additional analyses and checks are being conducted," he said.

According to municipal officials, the analysis carried out on Monday was performed by the Institute of Public Health – Skopje and represents the periodic type of testing. The second analysis was performed by the Center for Public Health – Veles, which regularly takes samples from the water system according to population-based plans and protocols. Authorities say they will publish findings as soon as the additional examinations are complete.

Photo: press material from the event