Gostivar: Water still not safe to drink, auditor warns of shortcomings since 2007
Authorities continue analyses while audit reports from 2007 indicate long-term shortcomings in the operation of the water utility.
More than two weeks after a ban on drinking from the taps was introduced, water in Gostivar still has not been declared safe — analysis results do not meet the criteria that would allow the measure to be lifted.
The Minister of Health stressed that the decision will be made exclusively when there is certainty about the safety of the water. Sasho Klekovski – Minister of Health: "We want to be as certain as possible before we allow the water to be used for drinking and food preparation. Samples are taken every day from multiple locations. We cannot speculate. There must be three appropriate tests from different locations for the water to be put into use for drinking. Analyses are carried out every day from nine user sites. There may be one non-compliant result and then three new tests from three new days will be needed."
Meanwhile, the State Auditor called for the audit reports to be opened which, he noted, since 2007 point to systemic weaknesses — including blocked accounts, irregularities and insufficient care in ensuring the delivery of adequate quantities of water to citizens.
Audit findings and ongoing investigation
Maksim Acevski – State Auditor: "If we read all the findings established during that period by the State Auditor, we will conclude that there was extremely irresponsible, unprofessional and mismanaged operation of the Public Enterprise which has continuously had a blocked account, an enterprise that has a large number of irregularities in its operations and has not undertaken activities to deliver sufficient quantities of water to the citizens."
The Prosecutor's Office in Gostivar is still waiting for some of the documents it requested from the municipality and from the public enterprise. Forensic financial examinations of the disputed pumps are planned, and the financial police will also check the projects for the city water supply that were financed with Swiss and German funds.
Meanwhile the director of the Public Enterprise "Komunalec" – Gostivar and two managers are in custody. It is suspected that by illegally installing pumps in the overflow chamber in the village of Vrutok contamination of the water supplying the city was caused, which resulted in an outbreak of stomach ailments and more than three thousand residents sought medical examinations.
Photo: press material from the event
