Lake Baïkal: healthy drinkable water

The Baikal lake is the oldest (more than 25 million years old) and the deepest (about 1637 m) lake on earth. An exceptional endemic population is living there. (56 % of the species are endemic according to 2001 data). Moreover, it offers the biggest fresh water reserve directly drinkable on earth. Its volume, 23 000 km3 is the equivalent of a 20 cm deep water layout equally spread on the earth surface, which could provide drinkable water to all mankind during 4000 years.

The water is pure and its transparency reaches 421 m, which only the Sargass see water have better. According to those who drink it, the Baikal water is perfectly pure and excellent for health. With a very low concentration of minerals, this water is recommended by doctors against hypertension, cardi-vasco diseases and for diet without salt.

In 1990, scientists and engineers from Irkoutsk have decided to share their treasure with the rest of the world by bottling and selling the water from the central part of the lake. This area, located between 300 m under the surface level and 100 m above the bottom is the cleanest, its temperature constant with 3.5 °C. A second project is planned in Sloudianka, the extreme south part of the lake.

The marketing arguments were of course that this water is perfectly pure and responding to all international norms. If the analysis confirm it, not all areas from the lake are that clean and the debate on pollution is strong. The Angara valley, highly industrialized (aluminum, plane construction, chemistry, paper plants?) is the source of much pollution. The Selenga river also represent 40 % of the water inflow and carries all pollutions from the capital of the Bouriat region, Oulan-Oude, located about 100 km upstream. An uncontrolled and increasing tourism, many illegal constructions around the lake and frequent Taiga's fires are also serious sources of pollution for the Baikal.

More and more pointed at, the polluters defend themselves: "Beside our production, we have always been concerned by the used water treatment, which is taken care of by a specific department" explains doctor Elena Grosheva, president of the eco-toxicology institute in Baikalsk. This water treatment system was built 38 years ago, in the same time as the paper plant. This institute is in charge of the toxicological controls of any water rejected by the plant: 140 000 m3 per day at its highest rate. "each week, the water rejected by the plant is tested in our laboratory with an organism used as pollution indicator, the Daphnia Magna". This is, mentioned the director, a test with international standards.

According to her, the most threatening pollution should not be the plant anymore, which water rejected is rather well treated. "Those who criticize the plant are not aware of technical progresses done in this area". Mrs. Grosheva believes that the Selenga river water should concern people more. The hydraulic basin receives all polluted water from agriculture weather from Mongolia or Bouriatie, as well as the used water from Oulan-Oude. It is about 40% of the lake's inflow that is polluted and its impact on the Baikal ecosystem is perfectly unknown!

"Changes in the phytoplankton composition confirm the existence of pollution" underlines Irina Mekanikova, scientist at the limnology institute in Irkoutsk. Some species have become dominant species after the construction of the dam in Irkoutsk in 1958. The water level got about 1 meter higher and temporarily modified the shore areas. Moreover, during the winter in 1987-1988, an epidemic killed between 5000 and 10 000 nerpas, the only fresh water seal specie, only to be found in the Baikal lake. According to Jennifer Sutton, co-president of the NGO "Baikal Environmental Wave", the dioxins should be the main reason for it. Those particles, resulting from natural or industrial burning contribute to diminish the immunity system and were recently found in the feeding circle of the lake.

Since the perestroika, the industrial activities in this area have strongly decreased and many projects (as plant or dam constructions) have been set on the side. Part of the population has also left. But those consequences, apparently positive have to be balanced. Indeed, as explained by Mr. Bezroukov, geographer at the geographical institute in Irkoutsk, this decreasing activity has also cut the feet to some renovations projects as the closed water system of the Baikalsk plant. Jennifer Sutton regrets that qualified people have deserted. The BEW is rather active in this field and has just done a movie about pollutions risks and its consequences.

According to her the main threat is an oil pipeline project that should link Angarask to the East of Siberia and follow the lake shore. "The way pipelines are built and taken care of in Russia, we should worry" she explains "accidents are unavoidable, especially during the snow melting period, when rivers carried any kind of objects. We should plan with frost, altering, lack of materials and human mistakes. Undoubtedly, I can predict that there will be oil into the lake."

The NGO has brought the file in court, in order to obtain a revision of the project and its location. Today, we obtained this revision, but Jennifer is skeptical. The new government will have to deal with strong oil companies and long habits of corruption. "It is said that the new minister of environment is very close to one of those oil companies. The way this project will be reconsidered is a real test regarding our activities: everything is possible, the worst as well the better".

In reality, none of the geographers and hydrogeologists at the State University seems to be aware of this pipeline project, except for Elenea Grosheva, who confirms Jennifer's comments: "The coordination between the different environmental organizations is very good, but it is more chilly as for local scientists, who depend on government and local credits".

The scientists at the Eco-toxicology institute in Baikalsk have not received their salary for 7 months. "The current government is more concerned by oil than ecology" regrets Mrs. Grosheva. "There is no money, no serious hydro-biological studies have been done on the Baikal, the federal law for the environment protection are bad" regret Mrs. Grosheva. "Moreover, the communication between the production and treatment department within the plant is difficult."

Even if its future is unknown and considering the huge dimensions of this lake, the difficulties of communication and studies, the Baikal seems to be in rather good health. The local population seems very attached and concerned about the preservation of this lake often called "The Siberia's jewel". But richness and beauty are so fragile!