Authorities in Russia’s far-eastern Kamchatka Peninsula have moved to dispel public fears fueled by social media, firmly denying rumors that drinking water in the town of Ust-Kamchatsk has been contaminated by volcanic ash. The concerns arose following recent ashfalls from the nearby Klyuchevskoy volcano, one of Eurasia’s most active, which had blanketed the region and prompted alarm among local residents.
The local administration addressed the issue directly after images of discolored water circulated online. Evgeny Romanov, director of the municipal water utility, clarified that the sediment was not volcanic in origin. Instead, he explained, it was a temporary side effect of essential maintenance and repair work being carried out on the water supply system in preparation for the upcoming autumn and winter seasons.
Romanov provided further reassurance by highlighting the technical safeguards of the town’s infrastructure. He emphasized that Ust-Kamchatsk operates a closed water intake system, a design that makes it physically impossible for external contaminants such as volcanic ash to penetrate the public water supply. This system ensures the water is drawn from protected underground sources, isolated from surface-level pollutants.
These statements are supported by findings from Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s consumer rights and public health watchdog. The agency had previously reported that comprehensive testing of air, soil, and water samples in Ust-Kamchatsk and the neighboring village of Klyuchi, both affected by recent ashfalls, revealed no pollution levels that exceeded established public safety limits.