Dnipro and Black Sea: is it safe to swim in them this year?
20 June 2024 17:32
Almost every third water sample in Ukraine does not meet the standards. But it will be up to local authorities to decide whether or not to swim in a particular body of water this year, Health Minister Viktor Lyashko told BBC Ukraine in an interview, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
The journalists reminded the Health Minister that in the summer of 2023, he spoke about the high level of pollution in rivers and the Black Sea. For example, the water in the Dnipro River was 28,000 times more polluted than normal. This is a consequence of a man-made disaster caused by the Russian Armed Forces, which blew up the dam of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station. A large influx of water destroyed cemeteries, cattle cemeteries and faecal waste storage facilities. All of this ended up in the Dnipro River and the Black Sea.
“What is happening today? Today, unfortunately, in Ukraine, almost every third water sample taken from surface water bodies in Ukraine has exceeded either chemical or bacteriological indicators,” said Viktor Liashko.
He added that local governments will decide whether to allow swimming. If they allow it, it will be only after the beaches are prepared. The Ministry of Health has not yet issued a ban on swimming. However, Lyashko did not hide from the media that such a document may appear later.
Meanwhile, in Odesa, holidaymakers began to visit the beaches in large numbers. Currently, people in Odesa have access to 20 locations that have been checked for danger and found suitable for recreation. The city’s beach season started on 8 June. However, holidaymakers are not allowed to be near the water during the air raid alert.
Meanwhile, in early June, Kyiv tested the quality of water and sand. The results were disappointing.
“The Kyiv City Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine reported that water bodies can be dangerous in terms of the possible acquisition of various diseases: infectious diseases of the intestinal group, dermatitis, and allergic diseases.
