Penza, 23 May 2013. PenzaNews. The water in Sura River flowing through the territory of Penza, and its tributaries has third-class quality, which means they are moderately polluted, and in some areas — contaminated. This was stated in a letter from the head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resource Usage in the Penza region Evgeny Lebedev, received by the chairman of Green Alliance People’s Party Gleb Fetisov after his request addressed to the Russian Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika, in which he asked to verify compliance with the requirements of environmental legislation on water bodies in the region.

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“In 2012, wastewater from 34 plants was discharged to Sura River and its tributaries, 18 plants did not have sewage treatment facilities (8 out of 18 plants had facilities which did not meet the requirements),” reads the document, a copy of which is available to news agency “PenzaNews.”

“Typical pollutants were suspended solids, COD, easily oxidized organic matter, ammonia nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, phenols, copper compounds, petroleum products,” the text of the letter specifies.

The document notes that the lack of gulley system with treatment facilities in flooded lands leads to pollution of natural water bodies in the Penza region.

The head of the department also reminded that the municipality prepared a target-program “Development of storm-water sewerage system in Penza in 2013–2021,” for the implementation of which 15,373 million rubles are planned to be allocated.

“The program provides for the implementation of activities aimed at effective and reliable sewerage for storm-water off the city roads, the territory of parks and gardens. In addition, 23 treatment facilities for storm-water will be built,” the letter reads.