Fish dying in the Psyol river in Poltava region: experts find out why

On July 9th, in the Psel River, which flows between the settlements of Zapsillia and Omelnyk, pollution was detected. Dead fish and amphibians were observed floating on the surface of the river.

Today, the State Consumer Protection Service in Poltava region published the results of laboratory tests of water and fish taken from the Psel River in the Kremenchuk district.

According to the results of the laboratory tests conducted by the Regional State Laboratory of the State Consumer Protection Service in Poltava region, the water from the Psel River did not meet sanitary standards for microbiological and physicochemical parameters due to the presence of lactose-positive bacteria (up to 12,000 when the norm is not more than 5,000) and ammonia (up to 3 mg/l when the norm is not more than 2 mg/l). The fish also did not meet microbiological standards.

One possible source of ammonia entering the river is domestic sewage, surface runoff from agricultural land when using ammonium-based fertilizers, livestock farms, and industrial wastewater. However, it is too early to draw conclusions. We are waiting for the conclusions of environmental and law enforcement authorities in Poltava region.

Over the course of two days - July 13-14 - experts from the Kremenchuk District Department of the State Consumer Protection Service in Poltava region, together with specialists from the State Agency for Land Reclamation and representatives of the Omelnytska territorial community, collected water samples from the Psel River between the settlements of Zapsillia and Omelnyk in the Kremenchuk district. They also collected fish for disposal.

On July 13, about 150 kg of fish were disposed of, and on July 14, more than 80 kg. The disposed fish were covered with chlorine cotton, and the collection sites for dead fish were disinfected.