Black Sea water quality within norm

The Georgian National Environmental Agency on Tuesday said a study of 59 main physical and chemical parameters of waters along the Black Sea coastline had shown it to be “within the norm,” Azernews reports, citing AGENDA.

The body said the samples from the past two weeks had shown the parameters to be in the expected range, after concentration of 13 heavy metals, total petroleum hydrocarbons, 16 polyaromatic hydrocarbons and other physico-chemical parameters was studied.

The Agency monitors the quality of coastline waters once every 10 days at nine stations, including three added on July 10 near the Anaklia-Gammukhuri area, following public concern about the threat of contaminated waters from the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine in June reaching Georgia’s coastal areas.

In its comments, the environmental body also said the samples were examined in its laboratory, which it said was “internationally accredited” and “fully meets modern requirements and standards”.