Jelgava to Recover Driksa River Cleanup Costs from Polluter

The Jelgava municipality has announced its intention to recover all costs related to the cleanup of pollution in the Driksa River from the owner of the pollution source. Currently, the stormwater drainage system at the contaminated site has been sealed to prevent further oil products from entering the river. To fully restore the environment, the stormwater network from the pollution source to the river will need to be cleaned.

The pollution source has already been identified, and the municipality is in discussions with the property owner regarding cost coverage. The goal is to ensure that the responsible party bears all expenses associated with the pollution cleanup.

Earlier, the State Environmental Service (VVD) received a complaint from residents about possible oil pollution in the Driksa. During an inspection, VVD found an oil sheen typical of petroleum products at two stormwater outlets. The pollution covered an area of approximately 50 square meters. To contain it, absorbent booms were deployed in cooperation with the State Fire and Rescue Service. Water samples were taken and sent to a laboratory for testing. Using the city's stormwater drainage network maps, the potential source of the pollution was identified.