Three years without drinking water: what will the future water supply system look like for Mykolaiv?
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- Yuliia Boichenko
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17:00, 24 December, 2024
Almost three years have passed since Russian troops damaged the water supply to Mykolaiv. Since then, the city of almost half a million people has been without a centralised supply of drinking water. Currently, Mykolaiv residents receive water from a backup source, which raises many questions about the quality of the water and the salt content.
All this time, state and local authorities have been looking for ways to restore drinking water supply in Mykolaiv. The final solution was found in 2024: a new water supply line will be laid from Nova Odesa, and the money was allocated from the state budget.
The Regional Reconstruction Service has already selected contractors who will work according to the principle of «design-build». However, the question of the design capacity of the new water supply system remains unresolved: on the one hand, there is an opinion that water consumption in Mykolaiv has decreased, and therefore a new calculation needs to be made, and on the other hand, limiting the amount of water can directly affect the future development of the city and its industry.
Read more about what the new water supply system for Mykolaiv will look like and whether the city should expect drinking water in 2025 in the article NikVesti.
The new water supply system for Mykolaiv costs ₴8 billion
In the summer of this year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered the construction of a new water supply system for Mykolaiv «using the fast track option». UAH 8 billion had to be found for this. The funds were initially expected to come from the European Investment Bank or the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
However, this option would have slightly increased the construction time, Vitalii Kim, head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, explained in a commentary to NikVesti during the conference on Ukraine's recovery in Berlin. He therefore supported the idea of allocating these funds from the state budget.
«If it comes from the reserve fund, projects take up to a year to build, and if with foreign partners, with banks, it takes a little longer. The question of how to do this is now being decided. It depends on the Prime Minister, and I ask all people to support this idea. We need it fast,» said Vitalii Kim.
In the end, the money was allocated from the state budget, with 8 billion hryvnias earmarked for 2025. The Infrastructure Restoration and Development Service in Mykolaiv region has already signed three contracts for the construction of a water intake from the Southern Bug River in Nova Odesa and a main water supply system for Mykolaiv. The entire length of the construction is divided into three sections. A specific contractor is responsible for each of them: «Ukrtransmist», «Rostdorstroi» and «Avtostrada».
![Закладені 8 млрд грн на новий водогін для Миколаєва у бюджеті України на 2025 рік, скриншот з держбюджету](https://nikvesti.com/images/imageeditor/2024/12/24/299178/299178_676a91175f07b2_42907655_1500.webp)
The contracts with the companies were concluded without bidding. The Restoration Service explained this decision by saying that the engineering report, which contains information on the cost of building the water supply system, the scope of work, and the draft task, was received only in October, and the work must be completed by 31 December 2024.
«In order to implement the pilot project within the timeframe set by the state, it is impossible to meet the deadlines for open bidding», the Regional Reconstruction Service explained.
What will be the capacity of the water supply system and why is it important?
The capacity of the water supply system is still uncertain. It was planned to be built with a capacity of 160,000 cubic metres per day. However, later, the head of the State Agency for Infrastructure Restoration and Development, Serhii Sukhomlyn, spoke about the possibility of reducing this figure to 100,000 cubic metres, based on the city's current water consumption.
Currently, Mykolaiv residents consume 75,000 to 108,000 cubic metres of centralised technical water per day. However, in the future, water consumption may be higher, as there are no large enterprises operating in the city and the population is still below pre-war levels.
![голова Держагентства відновлення та розвитку інфраструктури Сергій Сухомлин на Конференції з відновлення України, 11 червня 2024 рік, фото «NikVesti»](https://nikvesti.com/images/imageeditor/2024/12/24/299178/299178_676a9216d974b4_11342924_1500.webp)
Therefore, the city authorities insist that the water supply system should have a capacity of 160,000 cubic metres. However, Serhii Sukhomlyn, head of the State Agency for Reconstruction, expects to receive updated data on the city's future water consumption targets, he told NikVesti.
«We have already had several meetings on this issue. The city of Mykolaiv itself states in its letters on the required water supply that in the future the capacity of the treatment facilities to be built will be 120,000 cubic metres and is applying for 160,000 cubic metres.
We understand that the strategic plan of 2007 includes the development of the city of Mykolaiv and the need for much higher consumption, but even by law, the master plan must be reviewed every 6-7 years. It has not been reviewed, and since then there have been many challenges such as Covid-19 and the war. Therefore, we would like to clarify,» said Sukhomlyn.
Today, the State Agency for Development is waiting for official calculations from the Mykolaiv water company, after which a decision will be made on the capacity of the water supply system.
«I think they will come in the near future, because they, together with the city of Mykolaiv, are the customer. If they confirm that they need 160,000 cubic metres, then the construction of the water supply system will be designed for 160,000 cubic metres,» said Sukhomlyn.
Under such conditions, the Mykolaiv water supply system is also going to be used for land reclamation, he added.
«Just a few days ago (in early December 2024), we had a meeting with the city of Mykolaiv and the regional military administration, where we came to the conclusion that due to the loss of agriculture, including reclamation, it is possible to use the water supply system for reclamation work,» said the head of the State Agency for Reconstruction.
«In any case, the cost of the works will not exceed 8 billion hryvnias,» assured Sukhomlyn.
«This amount was calculated based on the capacity of 160,000 cubic metres. I think we will be able to save money and meet the estimated cost,» he said.
![Будівництво магістрального водогону для міста Кривий Ріг, фото: Держагенство відновлення](https://nikvesti.com/images/imageeditor/2024/12/24/299178/299178_676a93bba875d1_47269325_1500.png)
However, additional funds may be needed to build a water lift station and two pumping stations with solar power plants, the head of the State Agency for Reconstruction clarified.
«And I can also add that the amount can only increase due to the fact that... although I think we will be able to save money and meet the estimated cost. We also want to invest in a water lifting station and two pumping stations with solar power plants to provide electricity to the pumping equipment in order to reduce the cost of water for the city of Mykolaiv itself. It will be like a second stage of work, but I think we will be able to implement these projects as well due to savings,» said Sukhomlyn.
Mykolaiv is promised drinking water by autumn 2025
The future water supply system for the city will be built according to the formula «design-build», when one contractor is engaged in both design and construction of the facility.
«We have worked with our partners, but they want to follow the standard procedure, which consists of design, examination, tender and construction. This means that the whole process can take one and a half to two years. We do not have this time, so it was proposed to follow the procedure «design-build». There are pros and cons, but European and international institutions are not ready to finance construction on this basis,» Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych said earlier.
Head of the State Agency for Reconstruction Serhii Sukhomlyn says that the «formula «design-build» is not perfect, but it can significantly speed up the implementation of projects».
«What are the possible threats? Yes, it is possible, but only if this process is uncontrolled. But we constantly hold working meetings with contractors, designers, and we involve our technical partners — specialists from UNICEF and other organisations — to ensure that the design task is as effective as possible. So far, I do not see any risks in the quality of the project implementation,» Serhii Sukhomlyn said in a comment to NikVesti.
A new water supply system for Mykolaiv is planned to be built and launched by autumn 2025, says Serhii Sukhomlyn, head of the State Agency for Reconstruction.
«We will build it and people will get water. The work has already begun, and we will build it by autumn next year,» said Sukhomlyn.
At the same time, Denmark will also contribute to the construction of the water pipeline, Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych said after meeting with Danish Ambassador to Ukraine Ole Egberg Mikkelsen on 18 December.
«Denmark promised to join this project and involve its experts to make it happen as quickly and efficiently as possible, and as a result, reduce the cost of the last cubic metre of water for the consumer,» said Oleksandr Sienkevych.
The authorities are currently considering two options for the capacity of the future water supply system for Mykolaiv: 100 or 160 thousand cubic metres. Its volume will determine how much water the city will be able to consume in the future. This issue is currently being investigated by the regional military administration, which must provide all the calculations to the State Agency for Reconstruction. Then the final decision will be made.
Despite the uncertainty about the capacity of the water supply system, the government assures that Mykolaiv residents will receive a new water supply system by autumn 2025.
Yuliia Boichenko, NikVesti
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The work on this material became possible thanks to the Fight for Facts project, which is implemented with the financial support of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany.
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