News about Water resources

The situation with the Dniester’s water availability continues to be a matter of serious concern. By the end of the current working week, the flow from the Carpathians in the upper reaches of the river fell to 66 cubic meters per second. At the same time, the flow in the lower reaches of the Dniester has not changed – 100 cubic meters per second. Accordingly, the water level in the Dniester reservoir, which provides water to the Moldovan part of the river, dropped to 115.5.

The Caspian Sea shallowing will be one of the key topics of the regional economic summit that starts on April 22 in Astana, Kazakhstan. Outside the official agenda, there is growing skepticism: experts doubt that the discussions will lead to real change. In their opinion, without Russia’s willingness to compromise and without greater responsibility and transparency on the part of oil corporations, it will hardly be possible to stop the degradation of the Caspian Sea.

Over the past few days, European Union countries have stepped up their assistance to Moldova in overcoming the crisis related to the pollution of the Dniester River.

To limit the harmful impact of substances with signs of petroleum products found in the Byk River, specialists of the Environmental Protection Inspectorate installed protective sorption barriers using special materials for their neutralization.

Laboratory data show that at present the water in the Dniester does not pose a danger to the Chisinau municipality. This was stated during the meeting of the Municipal Commission for Emergency Situation. The specialists also discussed the information about the stains that appeared in the river Byc.

The drinking water supply was resumed today in Balti mun. as well as in Soroca, Singerei and Floresti districts. This was announced by Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu. He is making a working visit to the northern region of the country to check the functioning of the water supply systems. An intensified control of the water quality will be carried out in all the settlements where it has been restored.

During the Soviet period, the Central Asian republics were stereotypically perceived as an arid region. But over the last 40 years, water availability per capita in the region has become even more scarce – it has decreased by more than three times.

Apă-Canal Chișinău specialists say there is no danger to Chisinau’s water supply. Laboratory data on the quality of water from different points of the Dniester River, collected by Apă-Canal Chișinău specialists, are positive. At the moment, there is no danger of water supply shutdown in the capital. This was announced today by Chisinau Mayor General Ion Ceban.

Water inflow from the Carpathians to the Dniester reservoir decreased from 300 to 200 cubic meters per second. This occurs in a situation of rather high temperature conditions for the first half of March (up to plus 20 degrees Celsius during the day and above zero at night). The flow into the Moldovan part of the river (downstream of the Dniester HPP, Novodnestrovsk, Ukraine) is still the same – about 100 cubic meters per second.

The heads of the energy agencies of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan agreed to strengthen coordination in the water and energy sector, Logos Press reported.