Institute of Public Health: Pay attention to the color and smell of tap water

(Patria) - Given the heavy rainfall that has affected the Sarajevo Canton and the overflowing of rivers from their beds, and especially in the areas of Novi Grad and Ilidža municipalities, the Institute of Public Health of KS has started activities within its scope of work since early morning.

Teams from the Service for Epidemiology, Microbiology, and Environmental Protection and Improvement have visited all flooded areas and registered flooded facilities. Water samples were also taken and immediately sent for analysis. Recommendations for action before, during, and after floods have been distributed to the population in the affected areas. The recommendations are available on the website of the Institute of Public Health of KS, under the title Recommendations for Behavior Before, During, and After Floods - ZZJZKS 

The Institute's operational teams will, in coordination with the Civil Protection of Sarajevo Canton, monitor the situation in the flood-affected areas and will revisit the endangered locations during the weekend. Today (Saturday, November 6, 2021), together with representatives of the Civil Protection, potential collective accommodation locations will be checked and supervised.

After the water recedes from the facilities and mechanical cleaning of the flooded facilities is completed, it will be necessary to disinfect them. Also, in cooperation with family medicine clinics in the affected areas, the movement and possible increase in the number of patients with stomach problems will be monitored.

On this occasion, we emphasize the importance of monitoring local and individual water facilities in order to prevent waterborne epidemics. Heavy rainfall has caused many watercourses to overflow their beds and wastewater from sewerage systems, as well as soil movement – landslides, which has endangered the water quality in many local water facilities and jeopardized the health safety of water for citizens who are supplied with water in this way.

A significant number of local water facilities in the Canton have technical deficiencies, with old and dilapidated installations, which create the possibility for surface and wastewater to penetrate, especially in unfavorable hydrological situations, which further endangers the hygienic quality of water from these facilities and the health safety of the population.

The Institute of Public Health of Sarajevo Canton recommends the implementation of the following measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases through water: 

- Pay attention to the color and smell of tap water. If the water is cloudy or has a noticeable odor, DO NOT CONSUME IT!
- Use alternative methods of water supply.
- Re-examine the hygienic and technical condition of the sanitary protection zones around water facilities.
- Supervise the disinfection system - when it comes to drinking water disinfection, it is necessary to perform it according to the dosing instructions, depending on the disinfectant. In case of uncertainty regarding the dosing of the disinfectant, contact the institution from which the agent was purchased or obtained.
- The concentration of residual chlorine in drinking water must not exceed 0.5 mg/l of water.
- For children fed with breast milk substitutes, i.e., food that needs to be prepared with water, use only boiled or bottled water.

- If the water is not boiled or disinfected, it must not be used even for personal hygiene, washing, or food preparation.

The Institute of Public Health of KS will compile a report on the activities carried out and measures taken, along with the results of water sample analyses, and will further inform the Cantonal Ministry of Health, the Federal Institute of Public Health, relevant inspection bodies and the Food Safety Agency of BiH, as well as other institutions and media, as needed and upon request.