The court decision / Water supplied to Tirana is non-potable and harmful to health

Even with the decision of the Court, the water with which Tirana is supplied is non-drinkable and harmful to health.

The Administrative Court of Tirana admitted on Monday that the quality of water supplied to the capital is outside the parameters that guarantee the quality of consumption.

With an unprecedented decision, the Court has charged the civil society to "supervise" the state company Ujësjellës Kanalizime Tirana sh.a., in the measures it will take to improve the water quality.

In 2017, "Qendra Res Publika" and the association "Impetus" addressed the court of Tirana to force the Water Supply and Sewerage Company to take measures that guarantee the quality of drinking water in the city of Tirana.

According to the lawsuit, in different areas of Tirana, the level of escherichia coli (bacterium harmful to health) is more than the norm allowed under the regulation on drinking water.

The same happens with the level of streptococci faecal, a bacterium harmful to health, while the level of Chlorine (chemicals) often turns out to be above 0.5 (maximum rate allowed by DCM No. 379, dated 25.05.2016.

"It turned out that microbiological or chemical analyzes that guarantee the quality of drinking water. Were made by an unaccredited laboratory, giving no guarantee for any parameters, " the indictment reads.

After four years of legal battle, Qendra Res Publika has managed to secure from the court an unprecedented decision, which will affect the improvement of water quality in the capital.

The court ordered Water Supply and Sewerage Tirana sh.a. to monitor and analyze all parameters of drinking water in Tirana. According to the decision, the Water Supply and Sewerage Company is obliged to send these analysis results to the Institute of Public Health, to determine the measures to be taken to improve water quality.

Also, the court ordered the Tirana Water and Sewerage Company to report to "Qendra Res Publika" and the association "Impektus" the periodic results of the analysis as well as the measures to be taken by this company that will lead to the guarantee of drinking water quality.

Lawyer Dorial Matlia considered the decision as an important step that will affect the improvement of the drinking water supply situation of the capital.

"We already have a court decision which acknowledges and formalizes that the pine water does not have the right parameters in Tirana. What we have gained is, so to speak, we have become auditors of the state company, Tirana Water and Sewerage, which the court orders, not only to make periodic analyzes of drinking water but to inform us as plaintiffs, "Res Center Center and the association of" Impektus "about the results and steps it will take to improve water quality" - declared after the decision of the Administrative Court of Tirana, lawyer Dorian Matlija.