Safe water supply restored in Sloviansk

In the summer of 2024, scores of families in Sloviansk, Ukraine, struggled daily to access safe water. Shelling had destroyed the city's infrastructure, leaving it without water for over three months. Residents were forced to buy bottled water, or collect it from wells and store it at home, turning a basic necessity into a constant challenge.

Now, thanks to the support of the European Union and UNICEF, Sloviansk's main water and sanitation networks are being reconstructed.

With a stable water supply restored to the town and two nearby settlements, families no longer have to make difficult choices between cooking, washing or bathing their children.

"It's amazing to have water right at home"

For 13-year-old Bohdan, dancing is more than just a hobby – it is a way of life. This eighth-grader from Sloviansk has earned dozens of medals for his modern dance performances and, with a competition taking place in the capital in October, his daily training routine is in full swing.

After finishing his online school lessons, Bohdan quickly eats lunch, and rushes to pack his gym bag. "Don't forget the water," his mother Olena reminds him.

"It's amazing to have water right at home,” says the young boy, as he fills his water bottle. “I can just turn on the tap. After practice, I can shower immediately. Moreover, the water is clean now.”

Sloviansk is located 30 kilometres from the front line. Relentless shelling has devastated lives, destroyed homes and disrupted essential services.

"A house next to ours was destroyed and a child was killed there. When the shelling was really bad, we had to leave the town. Now, it’s quieter, but sometimes I still hear it while I’m sleeping. When the shelling starts, my parents and I immediately go into the corridor with the cat."

Bohdan, 13

Last summer, Bohdan and his parents had to collect water from a well in a neighbouring area every day. It was a long, exhausting walk – over an hour there and back. Bohdan had his own five-litre plastic bottle that he would carry home, full of water.

"We had no water for three-and-a-half months because of the shelling,” he says. “I helped my mom, grandma and grandpa. We’d carry five bottles at a time.”

When the water supply in Sloviansk was restored, Bohdan and his family were very relieved. Now, he dreams not only of peace, but also of a happier future.

"I really want to go back to school,” he says. “I want the shelling to stop, for the houses to be repaired and for water to always be available. I also wish my friends who had to leave because of the war could come back to Sloviansk.”

“This will benefit both adults and children”

Meanwhile, major repairs are being completed on the outskirts of Sloviansk. In the midst of a sunflower field, workers from the local water utility are installing a new pipeline that will boost the city's water supply capacity by 30 per cent to reach an additional 30,000 people.

“The repaired line will allow us to increase the volume of water delivered to residents,” explains Oleksandr Pohribnyi, chief engineer at the city’s water utility. “It will also reduce costs, as the old line hadn’t been repaired in 20 to 30 years and broke down every two or three weeks. Now we’ll be able to provide clean water without frequent repairs or delays.”

By 2024, nearly half of the city's water equipment was in desperate need of replacement. To support the necessary repairs and upgrades, the European Union and UNICEF provided funds to the water utility. 

“We’ve been working here for about two weeks, installing two-and-a-half kilometres of new pipes,” says Oleksandr. “This will definitely increase the number of households receiving reliable, clean water, benefiting both adults and children.”

A path of water

In Sloviansk, the journey of water does not end after it is used – it flows into the sewer system. For Svitlana Bilous, who works at a local chemical and bacteriological laboratory that monitors water quality in the city, it is a continuous cycle.

“Our treatment plants receive water from all the sewage pumping stations across Sloviansk – water from homes, cafés, and businesses,” she says. “These pumping stations transfer the wastewater to the treatment plant, where it undergoes multiple stages of purification. Once treated, the water is released into special ponds and eventually flows into the Sukhyi Torets River, a tributary of the Siverskyi Donets River, which is our main water source.”

Svitlana’s team plays a crucial role in monitoring the quality of this treated water, ensuring that it meets safety standards before re-entering the natural ecosystem. This meticulous process requires advanced equipment, chemical reagents and continuous funding. To help sustain this critical function, UNICEF provided the necessary tools and reagents to three laboratories.

"Recently, we've seen significant improvements in our laboratory," says Svitlana. "UNICEF provided us with state-of-the-art equipment, precise analytical balances and modern instruments that enable us to conduct more accurate tests and ensure better water quality."

"Our work is incredibly important," she adds. "Both adults and children rely on this water. It’s vital that our children, the next generation, have access to clean water for their health and well-being."