In Ivano-Frankivsk, water levels in the rivers from which the city's water intakes draw their supply are falling amid a prolonged drought. According to Mayor Ruslan Marcynkiv, the city has a water reserve and several water intakes, but in the absence of rain this may prove insufficient for current needs. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the mayor's statement on the airwaves of "Western Pole" radio.
The state of water supply
Marcynkiv emphasized that the city is making efforts to maintain uninterrupted water supply. Due to the drop in water levels, utility services are forced to carry out technical work, including reconnecting certain residential districts, in order to maintain the required pressure in the network. "We will have water, but we need to conserve it," the mayor declared, addressing residents and businesses.
Why the city depends on the rivers
The particularity of Ivano-Frankivsk is that its water intakes draw water from rivers rather than from wells. According to the mayor, this is both an advantage and a drawback: water can flow by gravity, so even during prolonged power outages the city maintains its water supply. At the same time, the system is heavily dependent on river water levels. "What we need is not so much rain in Ivano-Frankivsk, but rain in the mountains, and consequently the rivers filling up with water," Marcynkiv explained.
Technical measures and restrictions
Utility services are working on technical solutions that will help boost pressure in the network. All fountains in the city have already been shut off, and the use of water for technical purposes has been restricted. Residents and businesses are urged to use water as economically as possible. The mayor noted that the drought problem affects not only Ivano-Frankivsk but other Ukrainian cities as well, and that falling river water levels are being recorded across Eastern Europe as a whole.
Contradictory data
The mayor's statements contain an internal contradiction. On the one hand, Marcynkiv assures that "we will have water" and highlights the existence of a water reserve and several water intakes. On the other hand, he himself acknowledges that these resources are "insufficient for the volume currently required by Ivano-Frankivsk," and warns that the peak of the drought is expected in late September if no rain falls. Thus, the optimistic assessment of water availability coexists with an acknowledgment of shortage and the risk of restrictions in the coming weeks.
The broader context of low water levels in Ukraine
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that Ukrainian rivers are suffering from low water levels caused, among other things, by prolonged periods of heat and climate change; in a number of water bodies, the drop in levels is already posing a threat to ecosystems and to the water supply of the population. It was also noted that due to the prolonged low-water period in Ukraine, not only rivers but also reservoirs are rapidly becoming shallower: in particular, the Dniester Reservoir has approached historically low levels, and in some cities there is a threat of water supply restrictions.
