Influence of the number of visitors on the quality of bathing water at the Kravica Waterfall (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Abstract

This paper analyses the results of microbiological analyses of bathing water at the Kravica Waterfall during 2018 and 2019 and the impact of bathers on bathing water quality. The microbiological analysis of the samples was performed by the Federal Institute of Public Health in Mostar in accordance with the regulations of Directive 2006/7 EC for management of quality of bathing water. Faecal streptococci were determined using the membrane filtration method BAS EN ISO 7899-2:2003. Escherichia coli was determined using the membrane filtration method for waters with low bacterial background flora BAS EN ISO 9308-1:2015. The quality of bathing water is assessed on the basis of parameters determined by the current Directive 2006/7/EC. The number of visitors does not have a significant impact on the quality of bathing water; the reason is that of the total number of visitors there is a small percentage of bathers. During the bathing seasons in 2018 and 2019, the bathing water at the Kravica Waterfall was of excellent quality.