«Tired of hauling those water jugs». Will Mykolaiv get drinking water in 2025?

An elderly woman waits for a neighbour to help her collect water at a water point, May 2025. Photo by NikVesti

For four years now, Mykolaiv has been without quality water in its taps. All this time, the townspeople have been collecting purified water at special dispensing points every day and have to carry heavy jugs home. Often without a lift, to high floors. But this is the only way they can cook their food and wash the dishes.

A new water supply system is currently being laid in the city, but this step alone will not solve the water problem. For high-quality water to flow from the taps of Mykolaiv residents, it needs to be treated. Therefore, the city needs new water treatment facilities. This is the only way to solve the water problem in the city in a comprehensive manner.

NikVesti found out when drinking water will appear in Mykolaiv and whether the citizens themselves believe that this will happen.

«The tap water is disgusting». How have Mykolaiv residents been living all this time?

A 73-year-old resident of Mykolaiv goes almost every day to the trolleybus that delivers purified water on a regular basis at the intersection of Tsentralnyi Avenue and Shoseina Street.

«The tap water is disgusting. My whole body itches from that water, so we use this water (the woman points to the bottles of water from the dispensing points, — note) for bathing», says the 73-year-old resident of Mykolaiv.

A woman collects water from a trolleybus at a water dispensing point, May 2025. Photo by NikVesti

Every few days, the woman collects six jugs of water. That's about 30 litres of water, which she carries by herself, in several rounds. This is only enough for a few days, she says.

«I usually fetch water for myself, but sometimes I need to help my neighbour. She is already over 90 years old. I take all the jugs up with the lift, but sometimes it doesn't work, so I have to drag them upstairs. We cope like this, you see, by running», the resident said.

A 73-year-old resident of Mykolaiv carries water across the road that she collected for herself and her elderly neighbour from a trolleybus at a water delivery point, May 2025. Photo by NikVesti

In general, residents of Mykolaiv have adapted to the new realities and purchased carts for transporting water jugs, which are often called «kravchuchkas» (a small two-wheeled shopping trolley used to carry heavy items like water jugs or groceries, — note). But while talking to the citizens at the distribution points, we noticed that there are elderly people who carry them on their own.

«At first, I didn't have this shopping trolley. My husband wanted to buy me one, but I was against it. How am I going to drive around with a wheelbarrow? I used to pick up two jugs and run, but after a while I couldn't run anymore... And then my husband bought me a trolley. Now it's easy for me, it's beautiful. But I have a trolley, while others do not. But we try to help people who are left alone at home or are sick», says resident Mariia.

A woman pulls an 18-litre jar of water with a kravchuchka in the centre of Mykolaiv, May 2025. Photo by NikVesti

Another resident of Mykolaiv collects water at a dispensing point near the Shukhov water tower, which has been out of service for many years. The elderly woman said that she fetches up to 7 aubergines of water at a time, which is enough for 4 days of life.

«I often go to collect water. But I live alone now, and if there are a lot of people, I need more water. I need water only for drinking and cooking, and for bathing and washing, I manage with the technical water that we have in the tap. Because you can't drink it», the woman said.

A woman collects water at a water point near the Shukhov Tower in Mykolaiv, May 2025. Photo by NikVesti

It becomes more difficult to transport water from the points of distribution during power outages, as the lift does not work during these times.

«I have a trolly. I bought it for myself, because how can I carry it all by hand? I live on the seventh floor, but we have a lift there. But when there is no power, it's just a nightmare. We were dragging that water, our arms hurt, everything hurt. It was very hard», she said.

The woman says she is tired of carrying heavy jugs of water, but hopes that soon the taps will have the quality water promised by the authorities.

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«We have been waiting for this water for a long time, and they keep promising that it will be available soon. We always believe that we are going to get that water. We always believe in it. They promise us that it will be done soon. I'm tired of carrying it, but what can you do, there's no other way out,» she said.

Construction of the water supply system is to be completed by mid-July

For three years, representatives of state and local authorities have been looking for ways to restore centralised drinking water supply in Mykolaiv. The final solution was found in 2024: a new water supply line will be laid from Nova Odesa, and water will be supplied to the city from the Southern Bug.

Construction work began in January 2025. The total length of the new water supply network is 67.8 kilometres. Three powerful pumping stations (640-800 kilowatts) are planned along the route to ensure a stable water supply.

Construction of a new water supply system for Mykolaiv, 22 May 2025, photo: Daryna Melnychuk, NikVesti

After additional calculations and discussions, the cost of building the water pipeline was reduced, Serhii Sukhomlyn, head of the State Agency for Reconstruction, told NikVesti.

«According to the feasibility study, the cost of the water pipeline construction was supposed to be 8.7 billion hryvnias. The state has allocated 8 billion hryvnias in the budget for this. I have repeatedly said that we have revised a lot of feasibility studies. Instead of reconstructing the old intake station, we are building a completely new intake station, including shelters for the personnel who will work there. There will also be an additional irrigation station with a capacity of 50,000 cubic metres for farmers with a separate small water supply system,» said Sukhomlyn.

Head of the State Agency for Reconstruction Serhii Sukhomlyn. Photo by NikVesti

To date, the construction of the water pipeline has cost the state 6.2 billion hryvnias, he said.

«We have added a lot of things that were not previously included in the feasibility study. Today I can already tell you the cost, because the project has passed the expert review. Today, the cost is slightly more than 6 billion 200 million hryvnias. That is, in fact, 2.5 billion hryvnias less than the first calculation», explained Serhii Sukhomlyn.

Initially, the water pipeline construction was commissioned by the Mykolaiv Oblast Infrastructure Restoration and Development Service, which even selected contractors, each of whom was to be responsible for one of three work sites: «Ukrtransmist», «Rostdorstroi» and «Avtostrada». However, later both the client and the construction contractors were changed. The customer for the new water pipeline was the Service for Infrastructure Restoration and Development in Dnipropetrovsk region, and the contractor was «Avtostrada».

Why is the water supply line for Mykolaiv being laid all the way from Nova Odesa?

The decision was made to lay the water supply line from Nova Odesa because it is there that «the nearest site with good quality drinking water» is located, explained Maksym Shkil, founder of the contractor «Avtostrada». He added that the water in the Pivdennyi Buh River, which is closer to Mykolaiv and below the existing water intake, has sea water impurities and therefore high chloride levels.

Construction of a new water supply system for Mykolaiv, 22 May 2025, photo: Daryna Melnychuk, NikVesti

The head of the State Agency for Restoration added in his commentary that the water quality at the water intake point in Nova Odesa will halve the cost of building new treatment plants for Mykolaiv.

«This intake provides the best water in the region. There is no salt in it, and this makes it possible to provide the highest quality water possible to supply Mykolaiv residents. This is the first point.

And the second point is that when the city of Mykolaiv was developing a treatment plant for the water utility with the European Investment Bank and international experts, the cost of this plant was supposed to be 132 million euros. Because they were counting on a different water intake and a high salt content in that water. And the water from New Odesa is much better in quality, and this makes it possible to halve the cost of the treatment plant for Mykolaiv itself», explained Serhii Sukhomlyn.

Residents of Mykolaiv collect water at the point of delivery near one of the city's educational institutions, May 2025. Photo by NikVesti

A new water supply system for Mykolaiv is being built with a capacity of 120,000 cubic metres, instead of 160. This decision was made after analysing the city's actual water consumption and due to large losses in the water supply network, which now reach 60%, explained Sukhomlyn.

«We analysed virtually everything. The first question was: why does Mykolaiv need 160,000 cubic metres? Couldn't it be less? In fact, two feasibility studies were developed — both for 160,000 cubic metres. When we analysed the actual water consumption in Mykolaiv, we saw that the city currently consumes 75 to 100 thousand cubic metres per day. Even when the war ends, even when production starts, it is clear that 130,000 cubic metres may be needed, but we have set the bar at 120. Why? Because today, the losses in the networks in Mykolaiv itself are about 60%. The state has no right to spend money to cover such losses. And we immediately laid down this capacity of the water supply system, knowing that Mykolaiv has such a problem», he explained.

Construction of a new water supply system for Mykolaiv, 22 May 2025, photo: Daryna Melnychuk, NikVesti

Construction of a new water supply system for Mykolaiv, 22 May 2025, photo: Daryna Melnychuk, NikVesti

The new water pipeline for Mykolaiv is 64% complete, with plans to complete the work by 15 July 2025, the head of the State Agency for Reconstruction telling NikVesti.

«We monitor this project every three days. We are clearly on schedule. There is a schedule for the supply of equipment from Europe. If we don't have any delays in this supply, and I think there shouldn't be any, we should be able to open the facility in the first half of July. By 15 July, we should be able to launch the actual facility», explained Serhii Sukhomlyn.

However, after that, it will take «about a few more weeks» to start up and synchronise the pumping equipment, he added.

«Technological start-up is a process that also takes time. We take about 2-3 weeks to complete it. Therefore, as I said, in August we have absolutely every chance to supply water to the city of Mykolaiv», explained the Head of the State Agency for Reconstruction.

Construction of a new water supply system for Mykolaiv, 22 May 2025, photo: Daryna Melnychuk, NikVesti

The water supply system cannot be launched without the treatment plants. What is the solution?

But that's not all, because in order to supply quality water to the city, new water treatment facilities need to be built. This issue is being addressed by the city authorities in cooperation with international partners.

However, the construction of new treatment plants takes much longer than a few months. That is why the government has found a temporary solution — to modernise the water treatment facilities of the water utility, Serhii Sukhomlyn explained in a comment to NikVesti.

«I want us to clearly understand and divide areas of responsibility. The Reconstruction Agency, on behalf of the state, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, has to build a water supply system for the city of Mykolaiv and supply water to the city's treatment plants. It is the task of the city of Mykolaiv to modernise the water treatment plant.

However, we understand that Mykolaiv is currently part of a World Bank project, and international procedures are sometimes quite complicated and bureaucratic. That is, Mykolaiv will simply not be physically able to cope with this task by August. Therefore, we are simultaneously developing measures that, by partially modernising the equipment of the Mykolaiv water utility, will provide more or less normal water quality for Mykolaiv», said Sukhomlyn.

Jugs of water that a 73-year-old resident of Mykolaiv is carrying home from a trolleybus at a water distribution point, May 2025. Photo by NikVesti

About 70 million hryvnias will be allocated from the state budget.

«This is a partial reconstruction, installation of additional equipment, replacement of filters and everything else. This is about 70 million hryvnias. This is the second part of the project and it has not yet been submitted for examination, so I cannot say the exact amount, but it is approximately something like this», he added.

A woman carries an aubergine jar of water home with her own hands from a water dispensing point near the Shukhov Tower, May 2025. Photo by NikVesti

«The quality will be imperfect». What does the city need to finally get drinking water in the taps?

The reconstruction of the water treatment plant is planned to be completed simultaneously with the construction of the water supply system, so that Mykolaiv residents will receive already purified water. After that, it will take some time to flush the water supply system from the remaining salt water.

«But there is something else to consider. We understand that salt water has been supplied to the city all this time, and much of the network has been destroyed and contaminated. It will take some time to flush the system and remove the remnants of the water that was there. That is why it is impossible to open the water supply system and get clean water in an hour», said the head of the State Agency for Reconstruction.

However, after the reconstruction of the treatment plant, he added, the quality of the water in the taps will not be potable, although it will meet sanitary standards.

«The quality will be imperfect, because in order to get the perfect quality, you need to build completely new treatment plants and replace the city's water supply systems. This is definitely not our area of responsibility.

But this water will be much better. It will meet sanitary standards. That is, Mykolaiv's treatment plants will be able to supply water to the city that will meet sanitary standards. It will not contain salt and many other things that are present today. This is 100%. However, it is possible that the water quality will not be delivered to all neighbourhoods due to the fact that a large number of networks in Mykolaiv have been destroyed, including this water with a high salt content», explained Serhii Sukhomlyn.

A woman pulls an 18-litre jar of water with a kravchuk in the centre of Mykolaiv, May 2025. Photo by NikVesti

It is promised to launch purified water in Mykolaiv in the summer of 2025. For this purpose, not only will a new water supply system be built, but the water utility's treatment facilities will also be reconstructed. Of course, this water will not meet the quality of drinking water, but it will still meet sanitary standards, according to the State Agency for Reconstruction.

And then it's up to the city authorities to complete the water story and build new modern treatment facilities that will allow the city to supply drinking water. And it would be quite appropriate. After all, for three long years now, Mykolaiv residents have been forced to collect purified water at the point of delivery. And it's fine if you're 20-30 years old and full of energy, but think about how difficult it is for the elderly to do this. Especially if, for example, the lift doesn't work.

Yuliia Boichenko, NikVesti