--- title: "KSCA Explains Why Sewage Load in Kyiv Effectively Disappears During Water Outages" description: "The KSCA explained that sewage load effectively disappears in Kyiv when water supply is cut off. The Cabinet will send 10 generators to the capital for the water utility, while Kyivvodokanal warns of epidemiological risks." date: 2026-11-05T09:47:15.637Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kyiv-sewage-load-water-outages tags: [kyiv, water-supply, sewage, blackout, kmsa, utilities] author: "Roman V." publisher: "XAB.info" --- # KSCA Explains Why Sewage Load in Kyiv Effectively Disappears During Water Outages ![Petro Panteleev at a briefing at the Kyiv City State Administration](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/05/kyiv-kanalizatsiya-nagruzka-pri-otklyuchenii-vody/kyiv-kanalizatsiya-nagruzka-pri-otklyuchenii-vody-1.webp) ## Key Points - According to acting KSCA First Deputy Head Petro Panteleev, when water supply is cut off, wastewater volumes fall to a critical level and the load on Kyiv's sewage system effectively disappears. - The first stage of backup power supply with 16 MW capacity is directed at critical objects, including drainage; the Cabinet will additionally send 10 generators to Kyiv for the water utility. - Kyivvodokanal Deputy Director General Sergey Gorkutsenko warns that if the drainage stops, an epidemiological disaster is possible within three days, with lower floors suffering the most. - Full connection of Kyiv homes to heating will take about 10 days, with the launch happening simultaneously across all districts. Amid ongoing attacks on energy infrastructure and periodic blackouts in Kyiv, the sustainability of utility networks remains a key issue. During a briefing at the Kyiv City State Administration, acting First Deputy Head of the KSCA Petro Panteleev explained how the cessation of water supply affects the capital's sewage system and why, in his view, the load on drainage effectively disappears in such situations. ### The Physics of a Unified System Panteleev emphasized that water supply and drainage form a single technological system requiring constant backup power. "You need to understand the physics of the process here. If water supply ceases, the volume of wastewater decreases to a critical level, meaning there is effectively no load on the sewage system," he explained. Thus, during periods when water is not supplied to homes, the volume of water entering the sewers is minimal, and the risk of overload or accidents in the drainage system at that moment is significantly lower. ### Backup Generators and Cabinet Support The first stage of providing backup power with a capacity of 16 MW was aimed precisely at the most critical facilities, including the drainage system, Panteleev noted. The central government also promises additional support: Prime Minister Sergey Koretsky announced that Kyiv will receive 10 additional generators from the Cabinet of Ministers to ensure the operation of the water utility. These capacities are designed to maintain the functionality of key water supply and drainage nodes in the event of prolonged power outages. ### Kyivvodokanal's Perspective: The Drainage Priority The "Kyivvodokanal" company emphasizes a different aspect of the same problem. Deputy Director General Sergey Gorkutsenko stated in an interview with "Ekonomichna Pravda" that if the sewage system stops, an epidemiological disaster could occur in the city within three days, as people continue to use the drainage system. According to him, there will be no water in the taps without electricity, but the sewage system will continue to work, and it is the priority. Residents of lower floors will suffer the most in such a situation, while water may disappear first on upper floors due to pressure drops. If water supply cannot be restored during prolonged winter blackouts, potable water is planned to be delivered by water trucks. ### Heating and Combating Disinformation Separately, Panteleev reported that it takes about 10 days to fully connect Kyiv homes to heating, with heating being launched in all districts of the capital simultaneously. Commenting on the information landscape, he noted that a lot of conflicting information and manipulations regarding the operation of utility networks are circulating in the public space, and that the authorities are holding such meetings precisely to clarify the situation and provide reliable data. ## Accounts differ ### Sewage load during water supply cessation - **KSCA (Acting First Deputy Head Petro Panteleev):** When water supply ceases, the amount of sewage decreases to a critical level, so there is effectively no load on the sewage system ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/chi-zupinitsya-kanalizatsiya-kievi-cherez-1793870623.html)) - **Kyivvodokanal (Deputy Director General Sergey Gorkutsenko):** People continue to use the sewage system, and if it stops, an epidemiological disaster is possible within three days, which is why drainage is the priority ([kp.ua](https://kp.ua/life/a737267-cherez-tri-dnja-budet-epidemiolohicheskaja-katastrofa-esli-ostanovitsja-kanalizatsija-kievvodokanal)) *Where they agree:* Water supply and drainage form a single system for which backup generators are allocated to operate critical nodes. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Остановится ли канализация в Киеве из-за обстрелов: что говорят в КГГА](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/chi-zupinitsya-kanalizatsiya-kievi-cherez-1793870623.html) - Original source: statements by P. Panteleev regarding the physics of the process, 16 MW of reserve, 10 generators from the Cabinet (S. Koretsky), 10 days for heating connection. - [Через три дня будет эпидемиологическая катастрофа, если остановится канализация, - Киевводоканал](https://kp.ua/life/a737267-cherez-tri-dnja-budet-epidemiolohicheskaja-katastrofa-esli-ostanovitsja-kanalizatsija-kievvodokanal) - Statements by Deputy Director General of Kyivvodokanal S. Gorkutsenko regarding the 3-day epidemiological risk, the priority of drainage, water delivery by trucks, and the vulnerability of lower floors. ## FAQ ### Why does the load on the sewage system drop during water outages? According to the KSCA, water supply and drainage are a single system: if no water is delivered to homes, the volume of sewage entering the collectors drops to a critical level, so there is effectively no load on the sewage system. ### How many generators will Kyiv receive for the water utility? The first stage of backup supply amounted to 16 MW and was aimed at critical facilities, including drainage. Additionally, according to Prime Minister Sergey Koretsky, Kyiv will receive 10 generators from the Cabinet of Ministers. ### What happens if the sewage system stops? According to Kyivvodokanal, an epidemiological disaster is possible within three days if drainage stops; residents of lower floors will be most affected. During long-term blackouts, potable water is planned to be delivered by water trucks. ### When will homes in Kyiv be fully connected to heating? According to P. Panteleev, it takes about 10 days to fully connect Kyiv homes to heating; heating is launched in all districts of the capital simultaneously.