Black Sea water quality “within norm” in July - National Environmental Agency

The quality of the Black Sea waters is “within norm” based on analyses of samples obtained between July 26-30 across the western Georgian coastline, the country’s National Environmental Agency said on Friday, Azernews reports, citing Agenda.

The body said concentration of 13 heavy metals, total oil hydrocarbons, 16 polyaromatic hydrocarbons and other physico-chemical parameters had been measured in the samples.

The Agency has been monitoring the quality of the water at its nine stations every 10 days to identify the “main physical and chemical parameters” including salinity, content of dissolved oxygen and biogenic elements since concerns about the quality of the waters following the collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam in Ukraine in July led to contaminated waters flowing into the Sea.

It also said the number of monitoring stations had been increased by three new systems installed at the Anaklia-Ganmukhuri area in July.

Samples are sent for analysis to the atmospheric air water and soil analysis laboratory of the Agency, which “fully meets modern requirements and standards”.