More than 4.6 million people in Ukraine are at risk of losing running water as the country’s water system teeters on the verge of “complete collapse,” the United Nations said Wednesday.
In eastern Ukraine, 1.4 million people are believed to be without running water as the conflict devastates the country’s infrastructure.
“Water is essential for life and a right for everyone,” said Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. resident coordinator in Ukraine. “The health risks, particularly for children and the elderly, caused by water stoppages are severe, as people are forced to use dirty water sources.”
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Fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the country’s east and the use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas have further strained the already ailing system. Disruptions to the country’s power have halted water pumps.
The cities of Sumy and Chernihiv have experienced “serious” running water outages since early March, the U.N. said, adding that thousands in Mariupol have run out of options and are now forced to use “dirty sources” as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine passes the six-week mark.
At least 20 separate incidents of damage to eastern Ukraine’s water infrastructure have been reported, and five water technicians in Ukraine have been injured, the organization said.
“Young children who live in conflict zones are 20 times more likely to die from diarrhoeal diseases linked to unsafe water than from direct violence as a result of war,” said Murat Sahin, UNICEF’s Ukraine representative.
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Generators and equipment to repair the damaged systems have been shuttled into Sumy and Chernihiv to keep the water system operational, and water trucking or bottled water has been delivered to 185,500 people in cities where water has been “severely compromised,” the U.N. said.
