In the city of Samara over a thousand facts of violation of protected/exclusion zones of utility lines and systems were recorded - water supply and sanitation networks, heating networks, power lines. The risks fraught with the violation of these standards were discussed at a round table in the joint press center of "Volga Commune" and Broadcasting company "Gubernia".

Utility Clearance (exclusion zones), which are also called “red lines”, designate those borders next to utilities, within which, without the consent of the operating companies, not only capital construction, but also any economic activity is prohibited. Experts warn: due to violation of the Utility Clearance, every resident of Samara region risks being left without water, light and heat. Such a prohibition is designed to ensure unhindered access of utility service organizations to their communications in case of emergency repairs or routine inspection, to preserve the lives and health of residents of the region/

“One of the recent significant cases occurred on the first line of 9th clearing in Samara, when, due to private capital buildings on the water pipe, more than 50 residential buildings and a boarding school were left without cold water. The emergency team was unable to quickly get to the pipeline, it was necessary to change the water supply scheme, to make crossings, which significantly increased the time to eliminate the technological failure”, - said Igor Davydov, Chief Engineer of utility service organization "RKS-Samara".

Prolonged repairs are far from the greatest risk associated with violation of Utility Clearances/exclusion zones. Where there is the possibility of human contact with high-voltage current or hot water, there is a risk to health and even life. However, due to the neglect by business entities of the requirements of federal legislation, and sometimes consciously, the lives of people are exposed to real danger.

“Placing the objects listed in paragraphs 8 and 9 of Government Decree No. 160 of February 24, 2009 in the protection zone of HVTL Utility Clearance is unacceptable! Take, for example, the market at the intersection of Moscow Highway and Novo-Vokzalnaya Street in Samara. Violation of the requirements of the protection zone of 110 kW KVL Semeykino-1.3 prevents the maintenance of power transmission lines, makes it difficult to repair. A recent example is the fire, which occured this year in one of the market pavilions, which could lead to de-energization of almost a quarter of household and industrial consumers in Samara city. Moreover, this facility is life-threatening for both employees and market visitors”, - said Alexander Panchikov, Deputy Director and Chief Engineer of "Rosseti Volga" branch (brand of PJSC "IDGC of Volga") - "Samara Distribution Grids".

The illegal markets obstruct the work of thermal power companies. In particular, the experts of “Heat Network Enterprise” identified more than a thousand objects located in protection zone of heat networks. “No communications are safe from technical failures. In our case, such failures lead to erosion of the soil and release of hot water to the surface. Unauthorized garages and sheds not only delay the work of our company to eliminate the defect and restore heat supply to consumers, but also threaten to flood the property of the owner. But perhaps the most egregious cases of violation of standards are the installation of playgrounds on heat networks. In this case, the children of the townspeople find themselves in a deadly danger zone,” - said Aidar Ilyasov, Executive Director of JSC "Heat Network Enterprise".

The participants of round table noted the importance of intensifying work on identifying illegal buildings on utility systems and promptly eliminating these violations. Oleg Alexeyev, Prosecutor of Sovetsky District of Samara, assured representatives of utility provider companies in his support. He noted that district, city and regional prosecutor's offices accept and promptly consider all applications related to illegal buildings on utilities.