The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has formed a portfolio of 26 special projects aimed at enhancing the resilience of water supply systems in regional centers, Kyiv, and large cities. The planned measures are intended to protect infrastructure from potential attacks by Russia, as well as to create backup sources and autonomous solutions for rapid response in case of emergencies.
This is reported by Finway
Protection of Critical Water Infrastructure
According to Deputy Prime Minister Kuleba, one of the key components of the resilience plans is the issue of water supply. He emphasized that it is impossible to predict which city or facility may be targeted, so the main strategy is to reduce the vulnerability of the entire system.
“Water” has been highlighted as one of the key components of the resilience plans. We cannot predict which specific city or facility Russia will try to strike. That is why the logic is not to guess the direction of the attack, but to reduce the vulnerability of the system as a whole. (…) Currently, a separate portfolio of 26 special projects for critical water supply has already been formed. It covers regional centers, Kyiv, and large cities and includes protection, backup sources, autonomous solutions, and mobile rapid response water intake complexes,” Kuleba reported.
As part of these projects, strengthening the engineering and technical protection of pumping stations, water intakes, treatment facilities, and other key elements of water supply systems is planned. It is also proposed to create backup water intake sources that will allow cities to avoid water shortages in the event of damage to key facilities.
Reservoirs and Modernization of Water Supply Systems
In addition to protecting infrastructure, the government plans to implement backup power supply for water utilities, including the use of generators and other autonomous solutions. The program includes the modernization of equipment and the ring-fencing of networks to enhance the overall resilience of the system.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the risk of attacks on water supply has already been taken into account in the relevant projects and solutions that are to be implemented before the start of the next heating season.
At the beginning of April, President Zelensky disclosed intelligence data indicating that Russian troops plan to strike water supply systems, including bridges, dams, hydroelectric power stations, and drinking water supply facilities.
It is known that Russian military forces have already attacked the dam of the Pechenihy Reservoir in the Kharkiv region. In response, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have developed alternative logistics routes and are ready to quickly restore crossings in the event of damage to key facilities.