Lika region water safety concerns rise amid contamination reports

Water safety concerns have escalated in the Lika region of Croatia following reports of contamination. The Lika-Senj County Institute of Public Health has declared water from over 100 analyzed wells in the Gospić and Perušić areas microbiologically unfit for consumption, personal hygiene, or washing produce.

Beyond bacterial concerns, residents and experts are awaiting results from tests for heavy metals and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), often called ‘forever chemicals.’ These substances do not break down naturally and are linked to serious health issues, including liver damage and immune system disorders. Experts note that standard boiling or basic carbon filters are ineffective against PFAS, recommending high-efficiency systems like reverse osmosis.

Water resource expert Josip Rubinić has called for urgent monitoring of groundwater, surface waters such as the Novčice and Lika rivers, and local water sources. This recommendation follows the discovery of illegal hazardous waste disposal in Gospić, which poses a significant threat to the karst water systems that supply the region and the Southern branch of the Croatian Primorje waterworks.