1995 Kharkiv drinking water disaster

On June 29, 1995, the drinking water supply in Kharkiv, Ukraine was polluted due to flooding. Tap water was cut off in the city for about a month.

Chronology

On June 29, 1995, torrential rain flooded the streets of Kharkiv. The Dikanyovka (Dykanivka) waste water treatment plant was flooded as well,[1] since it was designed to collect water from the city's storm drains along with sewage. This resulted in spill of polluted and untreated water into the nearby Udy River. To prevent further spillage, the local authorities stopped tap water supply for the entire city[1] until water was pumped out of the flooded well and pumps were replaced. It took about a month to resume supply of treated tap water. During this period the local authorities established limited drinking water distribution to organizations (including hospitals) and the population.[2] Drinking water was brought up by tank trucks to designated areas for distribution. Several international organizations[3] including NATO provided assistance.[4] This was the first instance of cooperation between NATO and Ukraine.[5]

Aftermath

The government had to privatize a few local state-owned plants and factories in order to get funds to make necessary improvements.

References

  1. 1 2 Tatiana Zhurzhenko (15 April 2014). Borderlands into Bordered Lands: Geopolitics of Identity in Post-Soviet Ukraine. Columbia University Press. p. 211. ISBN 978-3-8382-6042-6.
  2. ↑ James Rupert. "Water Cutoff in Ukraine's Second City Raises Fears of Cholera Epidemic." The Washington Post. 15 July 1995. Retrieved August 28, 2016, from HighBeam Research
  3. ↑ "Ukraine-Kharkov Environmental Emergency Jul 1995: Situation Reports 1-4 (archive copy)". ReliefWeb. 1995-07-20. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
  4. ↑ Constantine Christopher Menges (1 January 1997). Partnerships for Peace, Democracy, and Prosperity. Program on Transitions to Democracy and University Press of America. p. 90. ISBN 978-0-7618-0796-4.
  5. ↑ "Civil preparedness", NATO


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