Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, woke up on August 12 to an unusual rush for bottled water. Rumours had spread overnight that the capital’s tap water was contaminated with Escherichia coli and other bacteria, sending worried residents to shops and markets to stock up.

By midday, Mayor Orce Gjorgjievski was trying to put an end to the panic — in the most literal way possible. At a news conference dedicated to the issue, he drank water straight from the tap to demonstrate that it was safe.

Gjorgjievski said he had received more than 200 messages from concerned residents and accused the opposition, particularly Social Democrats, of deliberately spreading fear and misinformation for political purposes.

“Lies and disinformation are being spread, organised by the opposition SDSM. This is tantamount to a terrorist attack,” Gjorgjievski told reporters, describing the situation as an organised attempt to create panic and hysteria.

He said a report had been filed with the Interior Ministry and called on the Public Prosecutor’s Office to investigate both the claims and the circumstances surrounding the waste sites that have become the focus of public concern.

What is actually happening at Rašče?

The source of Skopje’s water is the Rašče spring, a protected area that is subject to strict controls. Gjorgjievski said access to the spring is restricted and that it is protected around the clock.

According to the mayor, laboratory analyses are conducted from 36 locations across Skopje on a daily basis, with around 20,000 water tests carried out annually.

He described Rašče as one of the highest-quality water sources in Europe and urged residents to remain calm.

“There is no problem with the water supply in Skopje,” Gjorgjievski said, adding that the capital continues to have sufficient supplies despite the prolonged hot and dry weather.

He was particularly concerned about rumours circulating in kindergartens and primary schools, where parents are understandably more sensitive to any suggestion that drinking water could be unsafe.

The Clinic for Infectious Diseases also rejected claims circulating on social media that it had registered two patients suffering from E. coli infections linked to contaminated drinking water.

“There are currently no registered or hospitalised patients at the Clinic related to such an event,” officials told Skopje1, urging citizens to rely on official and verified information.

But there is a real environmental problem

The water contamination rumours did not appear out of nowhere.

They followed reports about a large landfill near the Rašče area, accompanied by disturbing images of accumulated waste. The issue quickly became entangled with concerns about the safety of Skopje’s main water source.

Gjorgjievski said, however, that the landfill shown in the reports is around 30 kilometres from the Rašče spring and that authorities have already begun work to remove the waste.

He said the landfill in the Saraj area had accumulated waste over roughly 30 years and is now being cleaned up.

The Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Skopje said that it has opened a case following information about extensive pollution caused by waste in a protected area near the Rašče springs.

A prosecutor is expected to coordinate inspections by the State Environmental Inspectorate and other relevant services to determine the origin of the landfill and assess its possible environmental consequences. If evidence of a crime is established and those responsible are identified, the prosecution said it would take action.

So while there is no confirmed evidence presented publicly that Skopje’s drinking water has been contaminated, there is a genuine environmental issue that authorities are investigating.

Experts point to a bigger concern

Some experts quoted by Focus on August 12 have argued that the landfill currently dominating the debate may not be the most serious long-term threat to the Rašče water system.

According to expert Boris Nachkov, a much more worrying problem is the old landfill associated with the former Jugohrom factory in the Tetovo area, some 25 km from Rašče.

The concern is the presence of hexavalent chromium, a highly toxic substance. Experts have warned that if contamination were to pass through the natural barrier beneath Mount Žeden and reach its accumulation area, it could potentially threaten the underground water system feeding the Rašče springs.

Nachkov said a study on the issue already exists and argued that a permanent solution to the Jugohrom landfill should be implemented before the problem becomes more serious.

That puts the current controversy into a wider perspective: the immediate rumours about E. coli may be unfounded, but the protection of Skopje’s water sources remains a legitimate environmental and public policy issue.

The Gostivar experience is still fresh

The sensitivity around water contamination is also understandable because North Macedonia has recently experienced a serious water-related health crisis in the city of Gostivar in the north-western part of the country.

On July 20, the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Gostivar opened an investigation against three people suspected of serious environmental crimes connected with drinking-water pollution.  According to prosecutors, the suspects allegedly used harmful substances that made drinking water unsafe by allowing contaminated surface water to enter the municipal water supply system.

The investigation followed an epidemic declared in the city after a sharp increase in stomach-related illnesses, with health authorities reporting approximately 250 to 300 new cases per day.

Against that backdrop, it is perhaps unsurprising that rumours about Skopje’s water were enough to trigger immediate anxiety and a rush for bottled water.

Based on the information presented by the authorities, there is currently no confirmed evidence that the city’s drinking water has been contaminated with E. coli.

However the real challenge is maintaining public confidence while dealing transparently with the waste sites and potential environmental risks surrounding one of Skopje’s most important water sources.