Levels of radioactive contamination of open water bodies and drinking water sources in the Volga-Vyatka region of the Russian Federation
The status of radiation safety in the Russian Federation is determined not only by the number of radiation facilities, the category of their potential radiation hazard, technical status, nature of use, but also the implementation of measures to ensure radiation safety, availability of effective control over the implementation of regulatory requirements including through regular monitoring of levels of radioactive contamination of water of open reservoirs and drinking water sources. Based on the results of radiation-hygienic certification in the subjects of the Russian Federation, as well as the Federal service for Hydrometeorology and environmental monitoring, the Volga-Vyatka region as a whole is safe in terms of radioactive contamination. However, due to the annual increase in the number of organizations using man-made sources of ionizing radiation, the increase in radiation hazardous facilities, materials intended for their elimination and disposal, the physical aging of radiation hazardous facilities, as well as systems, complexes and means of their physical protection, it is necessary to constantly monitor the radiation situation of both the Volga-Vyatka region and other subjects of the Russian Federation. According to Roshydromet, in the waters of the rivers of the Volga-Vyatka region, the concentration of radionuclides remains approximately at the same level, which is significantly lower than the level of intervention for drinking water regulations. Exceeding the levels of intervention for the specific activity of strontium-90 and cesium-137 in the water sources of drinking water supply in any of the subjects of the Volga-Vyatka region was not registered. Cases of exceeding the criteria for primary assessment of drinking water by specific total alpha and beta activity are usually associated with water abstraction from underground water sources. No samples of drinking water containing radionuclides exceeding the normative values and requiring protective measures in the Volga-Vyatka region were registered. In General, the content of radionuclides in water on the territory of the Volga-Vyatka region does not exceed the permissible average annual volume activities for the population. Regular monitoring of drinking water and water in open water bodies of both the Volga -Vyatka region and other subjects of the Russian Federation allows timely detection of any changes in the levels of radioactive contamination of these facilities and immediately take the necessary measures to protect the population from them.