Gostivar Residents Face Lasting Consequences: Feces in Water Supply to Leave Health Scars

A Health Disaster with Long-Term Consequences

The contaminated water scandal in Gostivar, where citizens drank feces-laced water for at least 22 days, raises serious questions about the lasting consequences on their health. According to experts, ingesting water with pollution 48 times above the permissible limit can cause not only acute stomach problems but also chronic diseases that will follow Gostivar residents for life.

Doctor Milan Risteski warns that such pollution seriously disrupts the intestinal microbiome.

"Drinking water contaminated with feces leaves serious long-term consequences on the intestinal microbiome, causing permanent dysbiosis. Pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella, and giardia destroy the beneficial microflora,"

he points out, adding that risks include chronic inflammation, irritable bowel syndrome, and even an increased risk of autoimmune diseases.

A Complex Network Purification Process

The return of clean water to the taps will not happen overnight. Engineer Dejan Dimovski explains that a detailed and complex disinfection process is necessary.

"Disinfection and flushing of the reservoirs and the overflow chamber must be done, the network must be divided into segments, each part must be chlorinated and flushed separately,"

says Dimovski, emphasizing that citizens themselves will have to flush their home installations and water heaters.

The problem arose when, in an attempt to increase water pressure during the summer period, illegal pumps were installed to draw water from a canal in the village of Vrutok. According to findings, sewage from surrounding houses flowed into this canal. This contaminated water was then directly injected into the overflow chamber of the water supply system.

Institutional Failures and Investigation

Although the Public Prosecutor's Office has already initiated proceedings against management figures from the local utility company, questions arise about institutional control. The director of the Food and Veterinary Agency, Oliver Milanov, stated that the last report from the Center for Public Health on July 13 showed the water was safe, even though the investigation determined the pollution lasted from June 25 to July 16.

While the ban on drinking water from the city water supply remains in effect, inspectors are also checking catering facilities, and citizens remain in fear of the long-term health consequences of this unprecedented environmental and health incident.