“For Clean Rivers!” Project

According to a survey conducted by the mineral water brand “Mangaļi”, 74% of respondents do not know whom to contact to report river pollution. Therefore, as part of the “For Clean Rivers!” project, experts from the World Wide Fund for Nature have compiled information on when and where to report problems observed in rivers or along their banks.

“60% of residents have observed that the banks of Latvia’s rivers are not sufficiently well maintained, while 69% are concerned about the increasing pollution of Latvia’s rivers. It is therefore particularly important to emphasise that every resident shares responsibility for improving the ecosystems of Latvia’s rivers. Any information about observed waste, spills, dams and other environmental violations in rivers and along riverbanks is vitally important if we are all to work together to improve the free flow of rivers and water quality,” says Ilze Auziņa-Grabeca, Marketing Director of SIA ‘’Cido Grupa’’.

The creators of the “For Clean Rivers!” project urge people to contact the State Environmental Service or the relevant local government regarding identified environmental violations!

• In situations requiring immediate action, call the State Environmental Service’s unified call centre at 26338800, which is available 24 hours a day.
• In less urgent cases, you can get in touch by writing to videssos@vvd.gov.lv.
• In cooperation with the association “Vides fakti”, the State Environmental Service has developed the Vides SOS mobile app, which allows users to quickly report environmental violations by photographing them, providing a brief description and sending a report. Information about the mobile app is available here: http://www.videssos.lv/kaa_lietot.

“It is very important to be aware of the different types of environmental violations, because each of them has a negative impact on river ecosystems and, consequently, on the ecosystem as a whole. One of the most noticeable problems is scattered household waste, which is especially often observed after weekends when people have spent time on beaches or in the water, for example, on boating trips. The most important rule for people in nature is to leave it as it was before they arrived at a particular place. However, in addition to household waste, other problems are also observed, such as various types of spills, dead fish, poaching and more. We urge people to report every environmental violation they notice so that a solution can be found as successfully and quickly as possible,” emphasises Magda Jentgena, Head of the Baltic Sea and Freshwater Programme at the World Wide Fund for Nature.

The greatest threats to rivers are:

• hazardous waste (various types of spills, such as oil or untreated wastewater spills);
• several dead fish in one place;
• waste in rivers and along riverbanks;
• dams;
• poaching.

The mineral water brand “Mangaļi”, together with the World Wide Fund for Nature, has identified the most common problem situations that threaten the “health” of rivers. However, residents are encouraged to contact the State Environmental Service or the relevant local government regarding any unusual situation observed in rivers or along riverbanks. All reports received are registered, reviewed and addressed appropriately.

More about the “For Clean Rivers!” project: https://partiramupem.lv/