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Sources of Information and Data Quality Control
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5.1. Sources of Information and Data Quality Control
Sources of information related to the preliminarily selected Hot Spots included:
- official data of the State Water Cadastre, which is kept by territorial (oblast) Centres of hydrometeorology;
- environmental monitoring of Federal hydrometeorological Service of Russia; and
- territorial (oblast and basin) authorities for consumption and protection of water resources of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation.
The major source of information ultimately was the national statistics database of water consumption (Form 2TP – “Water Industry”) for 2001, as well as the materials submitted by the facilities themselves, the water consumers. In particular, the experts used data regarding the annual volume of effleunt discharge to the surface water bodies and the annual mass of pollutants according to the parameters included into the method applied. The concentration of pollutants in mg/l was calculated for each parameter separately as the quotient of the division of mass of pollutants by total volume of effluent discharge.
The beginning of the twentieth century was characterised by a significant setback in industrial and agricultural production. The decline in production was closely connected with the reduction of water consumption and consequently with the reduction of the volume of effleunt discharge into the surface water bodies. The resultant reduction of the volume of effective mass of pollutants is typical for practically all the inspected facilities (Table 4.3). This had an overall beneficial effect for the environment and most importantly for water quality in boundary river stations of transboundary water bodies.
The changes in the structure of the facilities – water consumers, which are recognized as the Hot Spots, took place in 1991-1995. For example, the communal enterprises – the vodokanals of the towns of Zheleznogorsk and Kurchatov moved away from the Stock Company “Mikhailivsky ore mining and processing enterprise” and Kursk nuclear power plant accordingly. On the other hand the number of previously independent communal enterprises (electricity supply networks, water supply, sewerage system, heating system) of Briansk Oblast have amalgamated into the united organization under the name “Inter-district engineering services”. Such organizations were established in the cities of Briansk, Novozybkov, Klintsy.
In accordance with existing Russian Federation legislation all water users are required to keep account of water consumption. The managers of facilities which off-take, use water or discharge wastewater to water bodies, storage ponds, filter beds, etc. are responsible for the accurate and complete accounting of water consumption (primary accounting).
All water inlet and outlet pipes should be supplied with control equipment (meters) for the measurement of water volume. The primary accounting of water consumption should be made with error within ± 5%. In the event that it is not possible to use control instrumentation for the accounting of water consumption, the facility water-user must specify reasonable terms for the installation of measuring devices at water inlets and water discharging units.
Non-compliance with the regulations of control authorities to use control instrumentation for the accounting of water consumption or effluent discharge is recognized as administrative infringement.
