Ukraine has begun releasing less water from the Dniester reservoir, causing a sharp shallowing of river waters on Moldovan territory and a water supply crisis in Chișinău.
During an emergency meeting of the Dniester Commission, convened over the shallowing of the Dniester, the Ukrainian side proposed releasing 22 cubic meters of water per second from the reservoir — that is, three times less than at present, justifying this by saying that this is exactly how much water actually flows into the Novodniester reservoir from the upper reaches of the river. Previously, Ukraine unilaterally reduced the amount of discharged water from 100 cubic meters per second to 85, then from 85 to 70, and then to 60. And now it proposes leaving us 22 cubic meters, despite the environmental threat.
Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder later confirmed this on his Telegram channel:
“As a result of reviewing the hydrological situation, the Ukrainian side initially proposed discharging toward the Republic of Moldova only the volume of water that actually flows into the Novodniester reservoir — that is, on average only 22 cubic meters per second.”
“Subsequently, although our arguments persuaded them to agree to an increase in flow, the adjustment nevertheless proved insufficient to reach consensus,” the minister added.
Chișinău categorically rejected Kyiv’s proposal. According to Hajder, such a sharp reduction in flow would be a “critical blow” to the river’s ecosystem and the security of the capital’s water supply.
“The proposed option would mean too sharp a reduction in the volume of water downstream, given that the flow is currently maintained at 60 cubic meters per second,” reads the statement from the National Administration “Apele Moldovei” (Waters of Moldova).
While new parameters have not been agreed upon, the water discharge is temporarily held at the previous level — 60 m³/s.
The figures are indeed alarming. On the day of the meeting, the water level in the Dniester reservoir stood at 111 meters 36 centimeters. The normal level is 121 meters. Currently, the reservoir gives out almost three times more than it receives daily: inflow averages 22.7 cubic meters per second, while discharge is 60.
If the water drops to 102.5 meters, electricity generation at the Dniester Hydroelectric Station will have to be stopped — something the Ukrainian side does not want to allow. On the other side of the scales is Chișinău’s water supply. With a flow of 22 m³/s, the water intake pumps in Vadul lui Vodă, which feed the capital’s water supply, will stop.
The weather forecast for the Carpathians in the coming days does not promise heavy rains that could fill the Dniester. The commission will meet again this week. However, there is no other solution than to reduce the water discharge. The question is how rapidly its volume will decrease.
Cheban: “We Are Not to Blame, Kyiv Is”
All this time, while Hajder was trying to persuade the Ukrainian side not to cut off the water, he was simultaneously waging another war — with Chișinău Mayor Ion Ceban.
Back in July, Ceban stated that the government was deliberately creating panic around the capital’s water supply.
“They deliberately and artificially want to leave Chișinău without water, as they already tried in March. All to distract people from the real problems that PAS creates,” the mayor said.
According to him, the water level in the Dniester at that time was 8.45 meters and no different from the indicators of recent months.
“There is no problem on the Dniester. Specialists did not warn of any problem,” Ceban asserted.
But the mayor’s loudest statement came in mid-July. He reported that Moldova had secretly ceded to Ukraine 100% of the rights to manage water resources in the north of the country.
“This document is classified and is held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Ceban stated.
In other words, according to the mayor’s version, Chișinău itself handed Kyiv the lever with which it is now being strangled. And Hajder, instead of solving the problem with the Ukrainian side, tried to shift responsibility onto the capital’s mayor.
Ceban did not remain in debt. In August, he staged a public inspection: he called on specialists from the Ministry of Environment to come to the water intake in Vadul lui Vodă and try to start at least one of the 14 motor pumps that the government had purchased for emergencies. “All 14 in the state reserve are non-functional,” the mayor stated, adding that only after 32 attempts was one of them briefly started.
What Do Environmentalists Say?
The International Association of Dniester River Keepers, Eco-Tiras, had earlier called on the authorities of Moldova and Ukraine to save the river from catastrophic shallowing. The initiative was supported by environmentalists from other countries, who sent a complaint to the EU and a number of international organizations. It was signed by more than 50 environmental communities from Moldova, Ukraine, and unrecognized Transnistria.
Hajder, incidentally, has already warned: if the drought continues, the authorities may have to revise agreements with the Ukrainian side.
“In conditions where we will have a prolonged drought, which no one can say how long it may last, we must be rational enough and conserve water for as long a period as possible,” the minister stated in early September.
But it is one thing to conserve water. Another — when your neighbor unilaterally decides how much to leave you.
The commission meeting is scheduled for the coming days. Meanwhile, the water in the Dniester continues to fall.
