Belarus is interested to take part in the project to preserve and improve the Baltic Sea area, BelTA learnt from the Ministry of National Resources and Environmental Protection.

“Belarus needs a profound upgrading of treatment facilities and increasing the purification level of discharged wastewater. It will considerably improve the quality of the trans-boundary river water of Belarus and reduce the pollution level in the Baltic Sea. Belarus is deeply interested in developing cooperation with other countries in the area” the ministry said.

Almost all basins in Belarus are trans-boundary. The Baltic Sea basin includes the basins of the Western Dvina, Neman, Western Bug.

According to the ministry, Belarus aims to develop partnership with neighboring countries in protection and rational utilization of trans-boundary water bodies. The relevant intergovernmental agreement was signed with Russia. National procedures to sign the tripartite agreement between Belarus, Russia and Lithuania to protect and rationally use the water of the Neman River basin have been almost completed.

Belarus is in relatively favorable conditions in terms of water resources, the ministry said. One Belarusian resident accounts for 3,000 cubic meters per year. Towns, urban communities and the rural area are supplied from fresh groundwater bodies.