Yellow water runs from the taps: Varvarivka residents urge for water distribution points

Residents of Varvarivka talk to Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych at the launch of the dyke, 2020. Archive photo: NikVesti

Residents of the Varvarivka neighbourhood in Mykolaiv are asking the authorities to set up free water points.

This is stated in an appeal by Alla Vorobiova, a deputy of the Mykolaiv Regional Council, to Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych, NikVesti.

As you know, the problem of central water supply for the neighbourhoods of Varvarivka, Velyka and Mala Korenyha is still relevant today. The promised launch of the dyke, which was supposed to solve the water supply problem 5 years ago, never happened.

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The dyke was put into operation only in August 2023. However, there were few people willing to connect to it.

Residents of Varvarovka still get water either from wells or fill swimming pools. In addition to buying technical water for everyday use, people also buy drinking water, as not everyone can afford to go to the water points in Mykolaiv to collect water.

In addition, the state of water in the wells has deteriorated so much recently that yellow water is constantly flowing from the taps.

Water flowing in the taps of residents of Varvarivka. Photo NikVesti sent by residents of the neighbourhood

«By the fourth year of the war, the social and financial situation of the residents of the neighbourhood had deteriorated significantly and the ability to buy drinking water at a price of 90 hryvnias per cylinder and to buy additional technical water at a price of 100-120 hryvnias per cubic metre became financially difficult. Also, it is difficult for vulnerable segments of the neighbourhood's population, such as the elderly, large families and families without their own vehicles, to deliver drinking water from the city's water points. Therefore, the residents of the neighbourhood raised the issue of arranging free drinking water points in the neighbourhood», the deputy said in his appeal.

Deputy Fedir Panchenko responded to the problem of the locals. He noted that there is a water point in Varvarivka — a well with spring water.

However, this place has been empty for a long time, and the well itself has been poured under concrete.

There used to be a spring water well at this location. Photo NikVesti sent by residents of the neighbourhood

What is the situation with water in Varvarivka?

The construction of the duker for the Varvarivka neighbourhood began in September 2019 at the request of the Housing and Utilities Department of Mykolaiv City Council. The construction of the dyke to Varvarivka was launched in 2019 with a subvention from the state budget, with ₴19.5 million spent. To complete the construction of the infrastructure facility, the Mykolaiv City Council requested funding in 2020 from the SFRD in the amount of ₴36 million.

Another ₴21 million was allocated for the project from the Mykolaiv city budget to complete the construction of the dyke and provide the neighbourhood with water supply in 2020.

On 5 November 2020, a ceremony was held to launch the water supply to the Varvarivka neighbourhood.

On 27 June 2021, large cracks appeared in the water supply system element. After that, workers began to fill in the cracks in part of the culvert in the Varvarivka neighbourhood.

Almost three years after the construction was completed, in August 2023, the dyke in the Varvarivka neighbourhood was put into operation. It was transferred to the balance sheet of the utility company «Mykolaivvodokanal».