Chief State Inspector of the Republic of Tatarstan, Fayaz Shakirov: "Owing to the control and surveillance activities, modernization and reconstruction of treatment facilities, we currently observe significant improvement in the quality of water in the Volga River".

Ecological specialists carried out a raid today in the framework of the Volga Day using an eco-analytical vessel "Flamingo" that is equipped with the nature protection complex "Volga-M". It is possible now to monitor and check the quality of water here on a real-time basis. The system of dip sensors ensures continuous measurement of the main physical and chemical water parameters at two depths (temperature, electric conductivity, the rate of mineralization, concentration of dilute oxygen and hydrogen ions in water, as well as oxidation-reduction potential). All the data gathered from submerged sensors are transferred on a real-time basis to the computer-center of the station where they are processed and displayed on the monitor in a graphical mode.  At the same time, the samples are continuously drawn from the same depths, and the water is conveyed to the onboard instruments of an express chemical analysis where the flowing injector analyzers are used by the specialists of the Central Specialized Inspection of Analytical Control under the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan to determine concentrations of pollutants in water (oil products, nitrate-, nitrite-, phosphate-, fluoride-, chloride-ions, ions of ammonium, copper and so on). "During only one season we make about two million measurements, reported Deputy Minister for Ecology, Chief State Inspector of the Republic of Tatarstan for Nature Protection, Fayaz Shakirov. - The quality of water significantly improved owing to the regular control and supervisory activities, modernization and reconstruction of treatment facilities".

Today, all Volga regions of Russia celebrate the Day of the Great River - the Volga Day. The Volga is one of the largest rivers not only in Russia, but also in Europe. It stretches for about 4 thousand kilometers. This holiday means to attract attention of authorities and public to the problem of preservation of the river that is not only the national pride, but also a valuable strategic natural asset. 

Press Service of the Ministry