Technical Reports Parts C,D - ICPDR

Technical Reports – Part C: Water Quality 15
2.1.3. Addition of Hot Spots
Municipal “hot spots”
Based on the reports from the Regional Ecological Inspections within the Ukrainian part of the
Danube River basin a few problems have been arisen. Due to insufficient or complete lack of
funding for the drinking water supply and wastewater treatment facilities the epidemiological
condition in the region have worsened. The most of concerns are connected with the lack of
treatment facilities in the resort area where cases of bacteriological pollution of ground and surface
waters were reported. The increased level of illegal emigration to Europe from Asian countries
through the western Ukrainian borders can be dangerous from the epidemiological point of view in
the absence of proper municipal wastewater treatment systems for small border towns. For
Zakarpattia region the water quality in Uzh, Latorytsa and Tizsa are classified as III class or very
polluted in terms of bacteriological pollution (Report of Zakarpattia State Ecological Inspections,
1998).
The similar problems are reported by Odessa Ecological Inspection for the Ukrainian stretch of the
Kiliya branch of the river Danube concerning small settlements as Vylkovo, Kylia, Reni. Though
the municipal discharges from their municipal sewer system are not very important in terms of
nutrient load on the overall scale, they may impose immediate threats for the public health through
discharges of pathogenic microflora.
Industrial Hotspots
Adding new industrial hot spots to the list compiled by EMIS Group is not considered as
appropriate under current conditions in Ukraine. Nevertheless the important issue is enforcement
of environmental legislation in the Ukrainian part of the Danube River basin and development of
policy to deal with new economic situation in Ukraine industrial sector. From this point of view
the institutional strengthening and technical support of ecological authorities is utmost issue for
prevention of emergence of new industrial “hot spots”.
Special or unusual problem situations as candidate hot spots
Currently some new problems are emerging that have not been mentioned in previous studies.
Existing pipelines of crude oil transit through the territory of Zakarpattia region impose immediate
threat of oil spills to the Tisza, Latorytsa and Uzh Rivers with transboundary effects on water
quality. In 1997 two big accidents have occurred in Zakarpayttia region with 16.772 m 3 a year of
spilled crude oil. The accidents have occurred because of intentional drilling of pipelines by local
individuals. These accidents have happened between Uzhgorod and Brody. On whole the state of
pipeline “Druzhba” as has been reported by State ecological inspections of Zakarpattia region, is
critical and requires urgent measures for prevention of more serious accidents.
Another problem that is rapidly becoming a great concern for the population of Zakarpattia Region
is the growing number of cars and air pollution. Beside of direct impact on biodiversity of flora
and fauna, this can cause higher pollution level with heavy metal and grease, oil products through
surface runoff. In 1997 the emission from mobile sources amounted 60,6 % of total air emission.
Those figures are not referred to the international traffic through international highways of
Zakarpattia region with more than 1700 cars per day. Increasing air pollution will result in human
health problem, declining of recreational capacity of the region and increase of surface runoff into
the tributaries of the Danube River. This problem will require additional research study on air
pollution impact on human health and the environment.
Old abandoned ships and boats at the banks of the Ukrainian Danube Delta threat vulnerable
ecosystem of Danube Delta.