A malfunctioning wastewater treatment system at Balticovo poultry farm caused an environmental emergency in the central Latvian municipality of Jelgava on Monday, local media reported.

The Latvian State Environmental Service said the situation posed a serious environmental risk as Baltocovo, Latvia's largest egg producer, discharging some 500 cubic meters of wastewater each day.

The company's wastewater treatment system stopped functioning after bacteria used to treat the sewerage perished. The exact cause has yet to be established. The company's staff is said to be taking preventing measures to lessen the accident's environmental impact.

Specialists from the State Environmental Service's regional department in Jelgava are supervising the rescue works and monitoring water quality in the local rivers of Vergupe and Iecava.

Balticovo representatives said the company reduced production to the minimum to release as little untreated sewerage in the environment as possible. Balticovo hopes to start growing new water treatment bacteria by the end of this week, according to the company's representatives.

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