Oleksiy Danilov: The strategic task is to ensure the water security of the state in the conditions of climate change

Optimizing the use of available water resources by all economic entities and providing the population with quality drinking water is a matter of state security in the context of climate change, the importance of which is constantly emphasized by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov stressed this during a meeting of the working group on the security of water resources of the state and providing the population with quality drinking water in the settlements of Ukraine.

Representatives of ministries and departments, research institutions, specialists of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine considered the state of surface water bodies and provision indicators of surface water resources for the population and industries of Ukraine during the current year.

According to the State Agency of Water Resources of Ukraine, the last five years have been low-water, and there is a possibility of water shortages in the basins of some rivers with a significant anthropogenic load.

In this context, the NSDC Secretary noted that the probability of low water will require optimization of water use and economical water consumption.

Among other things, Mr. Danilov drew attention to the importance of conducting a complete inventory of groundwater sources of drinking quality and artesian wells in order to involve them in water supply systems.

The meeting also covered the need to attract additional financial resources for the modernization of centralized water supply systems to provide the population with quality drinking water.

The issue of developing Ukraine’s water strategy was also initiated and discussed.

Following the meeting, a protocol decision was adopted with recommendations to the Government of Ukraine on ensuring the water security of the state in 2020.