Water alarm spreads to several municipalities – Valandovo bans drinking, new inspections requested in Prilep and Debarca

Following the water contamination case in Gostivar, concerns about supply safety have spread to other cities in the country.

Authorities in Valandovo have banned citizens from drinking tap water, after tests by the Institute of Public Health found a higher concentration of arsenic.

The municipal utility announced that the water can only be used for technical purposes, while additional inspections and analyses will continue until its purity is confirmed.

According to specialists, the recorded arsenic amount does not pose an immediate health risk if exposure is short-term, but prolonged ingestion may have harmful effects.

In Debarca, residents have raised concerns about suspected sewage discharge into the Sateska River and are demanding institutional intervention with on-site inspections. Likewise, in Prilep, after photos of murky water were posted on social media, citizens have requested additional tests.