site.btaNo Deviations Found in Danube Water Quality after Romanian Barge Sinks

Results of chemical analyses of the water quality of the Danube River in the area of a sunken barge near the town of Zimnicea, Romania, have been received by the Danube River Basin Directorate (DRBD) from the Romanian side via the Accident Emergency Warning System of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, the Environment Ministry said here Friday.

The results cover water samples taken at three points, at the barge site, upstream and downstream, and include pH, electrical conductivity, calcium, magnesium, ammonium, nitrates, nitrites and phosphorus as orthophosphates.

A comparison of the results from the three sampling points with surface water quality standards for river type R6, Middle and Lower Danube, shows that all analysed indicators meet the norms for good ecological status. The only exception is phosphorus as orthophosphates, which was found at concentrations above the standard.

The data were also compared with monitoring results from a national Danube station downstream of Svishtov. The analysis showed that the recorded concentrations of the monitored indicators were similar to those registered at the national monitoring point.

In a subsequent notification from the Romanian side, it was reported that the planned dispatch of a rescue vessel to tow the flooded barge had been cancelled due to technical problems, stronger currents and increased water flow in the Danube.

The DRBD received a report at 12:16 pm on January 13 about a Romanian-flagged vessel that had run aground on a sandbank near Port Zimnicea while carrying approximately 1,540 tonnes of fertilizer. Water sampling in the area of the sunken barge was promptly assigned to the regional laboratories of the Executive Environment Agency in Veliko Tarnovo and Ruse.

An on-site inspection was carried out by DRBD experts in the presence of representatives from Svishtov Municipality, the Ruse River Supervision Directorate of the Maritime Administration Executive Agency, and the Executive Environment Agency. A visual inspection and patrol of the Danube section from river kilometre 554 to 542 was conducted using a border police patrol boat. Surface water samples were collected from nine points along the section, and express analyses were performed for pH, temperature, electrical conductivity and dissolved oxygen.

No visible pollution was observed in the inspected section or near the sunken barge. There were no changes in water colour, no unusual odours or visible film, and no dead fish were found.

On the same day, additional water samples were taken and express analyses performed at three points upstream of Ruse. The results so far do not indicate any deviations from the standards for good water status.

The Danube River Basin Directorate will provide updates once the full laboratory analyses of the collected samples are available.