Gostivar, 14 August 2026 (MIA) - Gostivar’s tap water is safe to drink as of Friday, the head of the Protection and Rescue Directorate Stojanche Angelov said at a press conference of the crisis HQ in the city.

The head of the Food and Veterinary Agency, Oliver Milanov, said the water was declared safe to drink after satisfactory results from lab tests conducted by the Public Health Institute and the laboratory of Skopje’s water supply enterprise. Samples were taken from seven areas on Monday morning and evening, as well as Tuesday morning.

“The Food and Veterinary Agency would like to notify the citizens of Gostivar that as of today, August 14, the water can be used for drinking. The water was microbiologically safe as early as last week, but tests showed elevated levels of residual chlorine exceeding the permissible limits for drinking water,” Milanov said. 

Milanov said the elevated levels of chlorine were a result of increased disinfection, which required additional measures.  

“The latest results confirm that the water is microbiologically, physically, and chemically safe, i.e., that the examined parameters, including the presence of residual chlorine, are within the permissible limits outlined in the drinking water quality guidelines. As a result, the conditions have been met for Gostivar’s tap water to once again be safe to drink,” Milanov said.

To stabilize and maintain water quality and safety, the Public Communal Enterprise "Komunalec" Gostivar is advised to increase raw water production in line with available capacities and technical capabilities. The citizens are advised to let the tap run for a few seconds, especially if the water has not been used for a while. The citizens are also urged to use water rationally, especially during periods of increased consumption.

In order to show that the water in Gostivar is safe to drink, Angelov, the head of the Crisis Management Center, Muhamed Ali, and other members of the crisis HQ drank from Gostivar’s tap water after the press conference. 

Photo: MIA