As a result, citizens who prefer to spend their leisure time near rivers and lakes will receive clearer information about water quality, and authorities will be able to respond more quickly to health threats. Specifically, the government has approved Sanitary Regulations on Ensuring the Quality of Bathing Water, which establish modern rules for monitoring and informing the public. Moldova has 8 bathing areas of national significance and another 31 recreational areas designated by local authorities. The new regulations aim to reduce the risk of disease through systematic monitoring of water quality. The National Agency for Public Health will analyze approximately 480 samples annually from 30 bathing areas. Each area will be assessed and classified based on water quality into one of four categories: excellent, good, satisfactory, or unsatisfactory. If the water poses a health risk, authorities will inform the public and may recommend refraining from swimming or temporarily restricting access to the affected areas. Information will be provided, among other things, using standardized visual symbols that will indicate whether the water is safe, whether swimming is not recommended, or whether swimming is temporarily prohibited. The need for these measures is confirmed by monitoring results from recent years. In some recreational areas, levels exceeding permissible microbiological parameters have been detected, including the presence of microorganisms capable of causing disease. A profile will be developed for each monitored area to identify potential sources of contamination and health risks. The new regulation will enable faster identification of such situations and the implementation of necessary measures to protect the public. In addition to systematic water monitoring, the regulation also establishes the responsibilities of the relevant authorities regarding risk assessment, pollution incident management, and transparent public communication. Monitoring results will also be available on the official website of the National Agency for Public Health. The regulation also sets requirements for the development of recreational areas, including the availability of restrooms and trash cans, proper wastewater disposal, lighting, and the maintenance of necessary sanitary conditions. Implementation of the regulation does not require the creation of new institutions and does not entail additional costs for citizens. The measures are aimed at preventing diseases and reducing subsequent treatment costs. The regulation transposes the provisions of Directive 2006/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the management of bathing water quality and brings Moldova into compliance with European standards in the areas of public health and environmental protection. // 30.07.2026 — InfoMarket.