VUGD received a call to the Vecā Biķernieku Street in Rīga on Thursday, at 8:39 AM, when a 300-meter long patch of unknown substance had been spotted on the surface of the water in the Dreiliņupīte.
Enclosing and absorbing booms were installed in the creek. The State Environmental Service (VVD) also works at the site of the event. According to VVD spokeswoman Daina Vārpiņa, employees are still looking for the source of the pollution, but there is a suspicion that there have been leaks of wastewater due to heavy rainfall, causing extensive pollution.
The VVD experts, after conducting initial checks, determined that the substance was indeed sewage from an unknown source. "It could be an illegal connection to the draining systems, respectively, production waters or fecal waters from residential buildings. [..] Draining of any water in rainwater sewers means draining it in the environment." The penalty for this violation could range from EUR 70 to 700 for a natural person and from EUR 350 to 2900 for a legal person.
