The quality of the Black Sea coastal waters is “within norm” based on the analysis of samples obtained between August 15-19 across the western Georgian coastline, the country’s National Environmental Agency said on Thursday.

In the latest of its regular updates on the subject, the body said a study on 59 main physical and chemical parameters of water samples - including concentration of 13 heavy metals, total petroleum hydrocarbons, 16 polyaromatic hydrocarbons and other physico-chemical parameters - had shown them to be in the expected range.

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”.

agenda.ge