site.btaSkopje Experiencing Water Supply Problems

Since mid-June, the residents of some neighbourhoods in Skopje, especially those in higher buildings, have been experiencing more frequent water outages and low water pressure, media in North Macedonia say. In televised reports, citizens of the capital complained of not having water for hours, and others for days.

The institutions housed on the higher floors of the Macedonian Radio Television (MRT) building work until noon due to lack of water pressure, which creates serious discomfort not only because of the high temperatures. On Thursday, the children's hospital for pulmonary diseases in Kozle also complained that they had no water.

Some of Friday's headlines read: “Thirsty in their own homes - Skopje drying up”, “MRT employees without water for two weeks - danger of infections, nobody reacts”, "Water in Skopje disappearing, municipalities giving permits for construction but no water and sewerage system being made", “Kozle Hospital still without water - patients temporarily treated in other clinics”, “Parts of Skopje still without water - Water and Sewerage Company announces solutions next week”.

According to the Water Supply and Sewerage public enterprise, the data shows that each resident of Skopje uses 700 litres of water per day. The problem faced by citizens is multifaceted - from illegal use of the water and sewerage system, to filling swimming pools, to watering yards with clean drinking water, Free Europe reports.

The Skopje region has water losses of more than 60%, according to a 2024 report by the Energy and Water Services Regulatory Commission, Free Europe said.

According to Minister of Local Self-Government Zlatko Perinski, the Government has no authority to interfere in solving Skopje's water supply, and according to the city's mayor, Danela Arsovska, the water sources that supply the capital of North Macedonia with water are at reduced capacity during the summer. She said at least 30 illegal connections to the water pipeline have been detected, from which fields are irrigated and swimming pools filled. Adding that there are also connections to illegal buildings, she accused the Interior Ministry of not taking action, Free Europe reported.