Around 120 Fushë-Arrëz residents suspected of being poisoned by contaminated drinking water

Around 120 residents of Fushë-Arrëz are suspected of having been poisoned by contaminated drinking water. They are reported to have visited the town’s Health Center over the past four days with symptoms of poisoning.

A day earlier, residents reported the case to News24, saying that the drinking water had a strong odor, while the authorities had taken no action despite their complaints.

Public Health and Hygiene authorities have taken samples of the drinking water supplied to residents’ taps for laboratory analysis, but there is still no official response.

Fushë-Arrëz Deputy Mayor Mikel Qafa has also commented on the case, which has caused the poisoning of hundreds of residents. He says responsibility for the water lies with the Shkodër Regional Water Supply and Sewerage Company. According to the deputy mayor, this is the result of the authorities’ ongoing efforts to remove services from citizens, based on the latest proposal to merge Fushë-Arrëz with Pukë Municipality.

With no institutional solution for days, residents of Fushë-Arrëz have resorted to collecting water from springs as an alternative.