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Ramunė Lukoševičienė, head of the Klaipėda Department of Environmental Protection, reported that according to Tuesday’s data, the contamination was visible in an area of about five square meters.
According to Jurgis Kazlauskas, deputy director of the Department of Environmental Protection, on Tuesday there was an immediate response to the information received about the contamination in the Curonian lagoon on the Smiltynė ferry since the rainwater outlet. The latter is operated by Klaipedos Vanduo.
“The potential contamination was visible in the place, its origin was not determined, specialists from the Environmental Protection Agency were called, who took samples to determine the origin of the contaminants. This morning, with the participation of representatives of AB Klaipėdos vanduo, samples were taken of the rainwater runoff on the Smiltynė ferry, ”said J. Kazlauskas.
On Wednesday, department officials will inspect the shallow sewage wells operated by the latter company with the participation of specialists from AB Klaipėdos vanduo.
J. Kazlauskas pointed out that AB Klaipėdos vanduo, which operates stormwater networks, has set limit values for discharge. Investigations will show whether the limits have not been exceeded, and if so, the company will face fiscal and administrative liability.
According to J. Kazlauskas, various versions are being explained to explain the contamination, starting with the construction sites where there may be contamination, ending with the “Banga” ship. Information in the public domain has been announced that the ship may have been involved in the contamination incident. The objective is to refute or approve the version, inspecting the ship’s operations with polluting substances.
An unscheduled inspection of two companies has been started: AB Klaipėdos vanduo, which operates stormwater networks, and AB Grigeo Klaipėda, which previously came to the attention of environmentalists as a polluter of the Curonian lagoon.
“The objective is to determine how the company manages wastewater, to verify the information that has appeared in the public space about the possible discharge of wastewater in the Curonian Lagoon. It is being clarified whether the requirements of the authorization procedure have been met; officials are working on this version. First, the valves are inspected, which were sealed in January 2020, ”said J. Kazlauskas.
Once the valves are sealed, the company cannot use the cleaning equipment without the knowledge of the Department of Environmental Protection.
“In summary, maximum investigative action is being taken to determine if it is contamination. If so, what contamination. All versions are being investigated – from the ‘Banga’ ship to the construction sites and the like, to the participation of “Grigeo Klaipeda”, – said the deputy.
Preliminary data on the contamination is expected from Thursday.
In short, maximum investigation steps are taken to determine whether it is contamination. If so, what pollution.
The notice was received on Tuesday
The Notification Service of the Department of Environmental Protection received a notification about the contamination observed in the Curonian Lagoon on the Smiltynė ferry on Tuesday around 4 pm
Environmentalists immediately rushed to the scene. The Environmental Protection Agency laboratory was called and water samples were taken to determine contamination.
Currently, environmentalists together with Klaipeda water specialists are conducting a study. Surface water wells in stormwater networks are inspected and a possible source of contamination is searched.
An investigation into this event has been started and the damage to nature will be explained and calculated.
VIDEO: Press conference on pollution in the Curonian lagoon
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