Fear of the taps: Did the Gostivar scandal destroy trust in drinking water?

The scandal in Gostivar — where residents unknowingly drank tap water contaminated with fecal bacteria for 20 days at levels reported to be 48 times above the legal limit — has pushed many people to change how they hydrate. Across several cities, our street interviews found a clear shift toward bottled water and away from municipal supplies.

Respondents said the incident eroded trust in local water systems. Many families now reserve tap water for non-consumptive uses such as filling toilets or pools, while purchasing sealed bottles for drinking. One woman from Skopje told us she no longer feels comfortable drinking tap water and uses it only to fill her backyard pool, preferring bottled water at home.

Unease beyond Gostivar

Fear is not limited to the affected municipality. In Tetovo a young woman said she has never drunk tap water and that the Gostivar revelations increased her anxiety: "I always buy water; I would never drink from the tap," she said. Such views were common among younger interviewees, who expressed particular skepticism about the safety of the public supply.

Parents were among the most protective: a majority of those we asked said they would not give unbottled tap water to their children. The habit of buying water follows citizens abroad as well; several interviewees said that when they travel they continue to purchase bottled water rather than risk drinking local tap supplies.

What happens next remains uncertain. Residents expect stronger oversight and clearer communication from water utilities and public health authorities if confidence in the network is to be restored. Until then, many households have made bottled water their default.