Following the toxic spill from the sodium bicarbonate factory Sisecam Soda from Lukavac, which had contaminated the Spreca river and went downstream all the way to the Sava river, the Croatian legal entity for water management, Hrvatske Vode, issued an order to the Brod-Posavina County’s Health Department to take water samples from the Sava river.

Hrvatske vode said that the public would be informed timely on the findings from the Sava river.

“According to the latest information from the main International Emergency Centre in Bosnia and Herzegovina via the main International Emergency Centre in Croatia, the toxic spill in the Spraca river has been minimized and the measured acidity values were within the permitted levels,” Hrvatske Vode said.  

The Spreca river was contaminated on April 28th when part of the sedimentation tank of the Sisecam sodium bicarbonate factory collapsed, causing a toxic spill across the farmland and entering the Spreca river. The spill has been halted quickly, but part of the spill had already contaminated the land and entered the river.

Hrvatske vode said that the surveillance teams were on the scene of the potential contamination and that they were sending water samples to the competent laboratories for analysis. Based on the latest laboratory results, they were taking the necessary measures and making decisions on further actions.

The teams are also cooperating with the main International Emergency Centre in Bosnia.