The residents of Derbent pointed out to the authorities the unresolved issue of sewage discharge into the sea.

One of the tourists filmed the unsanitary conditions on the coast in Dagestan, pointing out the sewage discharge into the sea and the risk of infection while swimming. Residents of Derbent, commenting on her video on social media, stated that the problem of sea pollution has not been resolved for decades, as the authorities do not pay it due attention.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", in September last year, Rospotrebnadzor reported on the results of water quality checks in Dagestan. According to its data, almost a third of the samples do not meet standards. On June 15 of this year, it became known that after complaints from residents of Makhachkala, the republican office of Rospotrebnadzor took water samples from five addresses where it is supplied from Vuzovsky Lake. All samples showed non-compliance of the water with hygiene standards.

The sea in Dagestan is dirty for swimming, and the unsanitary conditions are visible to the naked eye, reported one of the tourists. She filmed this comment in a video that spread on social media.

"Sewage is discharged directly into the sea, you can not only catch an infection here... that’s why we don’t swim. Of course, everything is beautiful here, but there are flies flying around, bottles floating in the water, trash," said the tourist in the footage of the video, which was published on July 3 on the Instagram*-page my.derbent.

This post on the Instagram*-page my.derbent, which has about 326 thousand users, had received 884 likes and 347 comments by 07:50 Moscow time on July 5.

Commentators, identifying themselves as residents of Derbent, agreed with the tourist. "This year I don’t even dare to wet my feet. Even though I live near the shore. Don’t expose yourself to infections," wrote shakhban10.03.2022.

"Every summer, the infectious disease hospital is overcrowded with children. Not to mention swimming, we don’t even want to wet our feet in this water. Don’t risk your health," urged khadizha________.

"If you walk along the entire promenade by the shore, you can see how sewage is discharged every 100 meters and the smell is so bad that it’s just awful," noted nargiz_naka_n.

"The discharge of untreated sewage into the Caspian Sea is a critical environmental problem for Dagestan, the beaches of the Caspian Sea are recognized by Rospotrebnadzor as some of the dirtiest," reminded farida_saidova90.

Some users called on the authorities to take measures to address the problem of sea pollution. "Well done, tourists, for talking about the unfortunate ecological situation in Dagestan. Maybe this will attract the attention of the competent authorities," noted user laitovay____.

"As a resident of Derbent, I want to thank you for highlighting this problem, for over 50 years sewage has been discharged into the sea, causing irreparable damage to the flora and fauna, and no one cares about it," wrote rizav_1175.

Other users pointed out that some beaches remain unpolluted. "Locals know where it’s clean and where you can swim," noted avtomagazin_rasim.

"We’ve lived here for a hundred years and don’t swim because of this problem, but there are places where the shore is clean," noted user _v_m_a_0509.

As of 07:50 Moscow time on July 5, there were no comments on the websites of the head and government of Dagestan, as well as on the website of the administration of Derbent, regarding the complaints of the tourist and local residents about the unsanitary conditions at sea.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that in 2023, Derbent turned out to be the only city in Dagestan where the sea water met sanitary standards. Residents noted that there are practically no beaches left in Dagestan where one could swim without worrying about their health. They said they prefer to go further away from the cities to relax by the sea.