ZAGREB, April 4, 2018 - Environmental Protection and Energy Minister Tomislav Ćorić said on Tuesday that the latest results of the analysis of water from the eastern town of Slavonski Brod gave reason for optimism, but noted that the ban on using the water for drinking and cooking remained in force.
Residents of Slavonski Brod and nearby municipalities have been without drinking water since Saturday because the local water well has been polluted with hydrocarbons. On Monday morning, work began to connect Slavonski Brod to the water well at Sikirevci, which is expected to be completed within the next two weeks.
Water samples have been taken for analysis every day since the pollution and an increased concentration of hydrocarbons was recorded in one sample only on Sunday April 1. On the next day, the concentration of hydrocarbons was within permitted levels in all samples, a press conference was told on Tuesday afternoon. The press conference was attended by Minister Ćorić and Health Minister Milan Kujundžeć.
Kujundžić said that hydrocarbons were found only in one case and did not pose a risk to human health. He stressed that hazardous substances, such as benzene, were not found in any of the samples.
Ćorić said that the carbon filter at the Jelas water well had not been replaced since 2001, even though that should have been done in 2010. Asked by the press who was responsible, he said that the water well was the responsibility of the Slavonski Brod town authorities.
He added that this environmental incident was being investigated by the county police in cooperation with the State Prosecutor's Office and that there had been no attempts by his ministry to cover it up.
Ćorić said that it would take about 15 days to connect Slavonski Brod to the water well at Sikirevci, which would largely meet the needs of the local population for water.
