"Heineken Spill" with the smell of sewage. Why does the river in Lida stink again?
Residents of Lida and Lida district are once again complaining about an unpleasant smell from the river. The water looks dirty, dead fish float on the surface, and the stench in some places is so strong that people try to stay away from the shore. This is not a new problem: similar stories have been repeating themselves for several summers now.
"Heineken Spill"
One of the residents of Lida region suggests on social networks that the problem might be related to outdated city treatment facilities and people dumping waste into the river in summer.
Other residents clarify that an especially strong stench comes from Astravlianka — a small river that flows through Lida.
— It is very smelly and dirty. Locals call it "Stinky," and young people call it "Heineken Spill," — one Lida resident said on social networks.
The jocular name likely appeared due to the unusual color of the water. But behind the local humor lies a problem that has been ongoing for years.
Fish died, and the water smelled of sewage
Dzitva is a 93-kilometer river, most of which flows through the territory of Belarus. It originates in Lithuania, passes through the Lida district, and flows into the Neman near Biarozauka.
The river even hosts river trout — which is the best natural water quality certificate. Dozens of bird species, including rare ones, are found in the Ditva floodplain. But the river has repeatedly faced serious pollution.
Back in July 2014, residents of Darzhy village reported dead fish and a strong unpleasant smell. Officials then named the anomalous heat as the main reason: the water had warmed up, and the amount of oxygen in it had significantly decreased.
In 2018, another pollution incident was recorded, linked to the wastewater from Lida's housing and communal services (ZhKKh). One of the responsible employees of the enterprise was then held accountable, but only received a fine.
However, the situation became especially severe in the summer of 2019. The water in the Dzitva darkened, became murky, and was covered with gray flakes. Dead fish were found on the banks, and local residents complained about a sharp smell of sewage and chemicals.
The oxygen content in the water then dropped to a critical level. The cause was identified as a technological failure at the treatment facilities of the notorious Lida ZhKKh, which had issues in the past: due to the heat, the activated sludge — microorganisms involved in wastewater treatment — suffered.
As a result, insufficiently treated sewage entered the river, and the concentration of some pollutants exceeded permissible levels.
"Dead Ditva"
In 2019, the problem of Ditva's pollution was publicly raised by social activist Vitold Ashurak from Biarozauka. Near the village of Shyrokaje, he found a place where waste was being discharged into the river.
Together with Siarhei Pantus, Ashurak went to the building of the Lida District Executive Committee with a poster "Dead Ditva". He was fined for the unauthorized picket.
The activist also appealed to the prosecutor's office and demanded an investigation into the circumstances of the pollution. In 2020, the criminal case regarding the river's pollution was reopened.
Shyrokaje village, the place where waste was discharged into the Ditva
In 2021, Vitold Ashurak died in a Shklou colony. Several years later, the problem he tried to draw attention to is reminding itself again.
Summer came — and everything repeated
Now, videos of murky water with dead fish floating in it and complaints about the stench are being published on social networks. Local residents say it's difficult to be near the river.
"Please help resolve the issue with the Ditva! For years, someone has been pouring something into the river, and it's simply impossible to be nearby!" — one of the residents appealed to the authorities.
On July 2, a response from the authorities appeared on the local district executive committee's Telegram channel. According to it, the ZhKKh is currently working to eliminate the causes of the situation and locally clean the riverbed.
However, the authorities did not specify what exactly caused the current pollution and unpleasant smell.
In Lida, the reconstruction of the city's treatment facilities is also nearing completion. Commissioning works and comprehensive testing of new equipment are currently underway there. The authorities expect that the modernization will improve the quality of wastewater treatment and help reduce pollution of the Ditva. All necessary procedures are planned to be completed within two months.
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