Monitoring of sea water increased in Crimea following Kakhovka HPP destruction

ROSTOV-ON-DON. July 21 (Interfax) - The monitoring of sea water quality has been stepped up on Crimea's western shore following the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydropower Plant, Natalya Penkovskaya, the head of the regional department of the Russian consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, told Interfax.

"In connection with the emergency caused by the breaching of the Kakhovka HPP, additional control points for monitoring sea water have been determined off the coast of the peninsula. Geographically, these points are located along the western coast of the Republic of Crimea, on the side where the Dnieper flows into the Black Sea," the agency said.

Experts have already studied the sanitary, chemical, bacteriological and viral readings for 174 samples of sea water taken at these points. No unusual results were found.

In addition, Rospotrebnadzor has increased the frequency of its examination of sea water taken at six points on the western coast due to the emergency. Examinations are performed three times a week. Tests for cholera and cholera-like vibrios have come back negative, the department said.

More than 3,000 samples of sea water have been taken in Crimea since the start of the year, Rospotrebnadzor said. A total of 1.2% of the samples did not meet the sanitary requirements for bacteriological measurements. Last year, the measurement was 1.8%. Municipalities have received notices to ban several recreation areas from operating.

"No infectious diseases associated with registering non-compliance with the norms for sea water have been recorded," the department said.

Valves and other elements of the Kakhovka HPP's surface infrastructure were destroyed in the early hours of June 6, causing an uncontrolled discharge of the Dnieper's water downstream of the Kakhovka reservoir into the Black Sea.