Petroleum Odor in Atyrau: Resident Claims to Have Found Source

As of October 8, a strong smell of oil has persisted in Atyrau for three days, Orda.kz reports.

Local resident Zhanat Kenzhegulov posted a video filmed near the city’s wastewater treatment plant (WTP), which he claims is the source of the odor.

I’m currently at the Atyrau Wastewater Treatment Plant, where hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide concentrations are more than a hundred times higher than normal. An oily film has formed on the surface of the water, which shouldn’t be there. This is the result of an oil spill, said Kenzhegulov.

Residents report that the smell is particularly strong in the evenings.

On social media, people are calling on authorities to investigate and identify the source of the air pollution.

During the inspection, signs of illegal discharge of oil waste into the sewer system were discovered. A strong odor of petroleum products was detected at the site, and traces of an oil slick were observed in the wastewater, which should normally be clean, said deputy Anuar Bataev.

According to him, such actions harm the environment and violate ecological regulations.

Samples have been sent to a laboratory for analysis. Once results are available, the organization responsible for the contamination will be identified, and proposals will be submitted to the relevant authorities.

Original Author: Daniel Arturov