North Macedonia water poisoning linked to high bacteria levels

A mass poisoning in North Macedonia that affected more than 3,100 people has been linked to high levels of bacteria in drinking water, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Health authorities said the cases were reported over the last week in the western town of Gostivar, where an epidemic was declared at the weekend during high summer temperatures.

Police said the director of the local water supply company and two employees were arrested on Monday on suspicion of polluting Gostivar’s pipeline. On Tuesday, the public prosecutor’s office said it had opened an investigation into three people suspected of serious crimes against the environment and nature through drinking water pollution.

Prosecutors said the three were suspected of ordering the installation of pumps in a wastewater canal next to a chamber holding drinking water in order to test water pressure. They said the pumps operated for more than 20 days until they were discovered on July 16, and that water containing harmful substances entered the main water supply pipeline during that period. The source said the suspected crime carries a minimum sentence of four years in prison.

The Gostivar Basic court approved 30-day detention for the three suspects, citing the seriousness of the suspected crime and the risk that they could abscond or influence witnesses.

Prosecutors said water sample tests found coliform bacteria, which live in faeces, at nearly 50 times the allowed limit. Oliver Milanov, director of the national food and veterinary agency, said the agency had received test results from the public health centre on July 13 showing that the water was safe for use. Health authorities said the first poisoning symptoms were reported on July 14.

The national food and veterinary agency has banned the use of water in the area since Friday. A government delegation visited Gostivar on Tuesday, and Health Minister Saso Klekovski said the number of infected people was decreasing.

The government declared a 30-day state of crisis in Gostivar municipality on Tuesday to coordinate the response to the health crisis, which came as temperatures rose above 35 Celsius. Residents were advised to use bottled water, and the government said it would deliver 50,000 litres of water to the town each day.