In view of increased media and public interest in the work of the Josip Juraj Strossmayer Institute for Water regarding the expert assessment in an ongoing case, we inform the public that the Institute is currently unable to provide further statements or comment on details of the proceedings outside the prescribed institutional and procedural framework.
The Institute stands by the findings, methodology used, and professional conclusions set out in the published report. Any additional information or clarifications will be provided by the Institute exclusively through the competent authorities and in accordance with the applicable regulations.
At the same time, we reiterate the Institute’s statement published on 7 August 2026:
In response to media interpretations of the publicly available expert assessment conducted by the Josip Juraj Strossmayer Institute for Water, it is important to emphasise that the findings concern local piezometers in the area of illegally deposited waste near Gospić, and not water from the public water supply system. Therefore, these findings cannot be interpreted as indicating that drinking water is unsafe. Previous official testing of water from the public water supply system in the Gospić area has confirmed that it is safe for human consumption and compliant with the prescribed standards.
Groundwater in this local area will continue to be monitored, particularly following rainfall, alongside the implementation of the necessary remediation measures. The safety of water intended for human consumption is established through prescribed monitoring conducted by the Croatian Institute of Public Health and the competent public health institutes. Citizens can be assured that water from the public water supply system is regularly monitored, that analyses conducted to date have not indicated any issues, and that any relevant change will be promptly verified and publicly communicated. Protecting human health, drinking water, and the environment remains an absolute priority.
We thank the media and the public for their understanding.
