Interventions on Dniester: new anti-pollution dam to be installed in north Moldova settlement

A new protective dam will be installed at the Cusernita water intake station on the Dniester River, in order to limit the effects of oil pollution caused by the attack on the Novodnestrovsk hydroelectric complex in Ukraine. In the next 24 hours, the authorities will also install additional barriers at the Dubasari reservoir and will examine alternative water sources for the population. Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder announced measures to this effect at the end of a government meeting.

The environment minister said that oil substances continued to spill into the Dniester River and that the volume of oil may be higher than the initially estimated quantity of approximately 1.5 tons.

"What we are seeing today is not a natural accident, but the direct consequence of the war at our border. The destruction of Ukrainian infrastructure and Russia’s aggression have consequences that affect us directly, including the pollution of our water resources," the minister said.

First substances detected three days after the attack

According to the Environment Ministry, the attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure took place on March 7 and the first traces of pollution were detected on March 10.

"Immediately after the detection of oil substances, the reference laboratory of the Environment Agency collected samples to assess risks to the population. At the same time, the Moldovan authorities requested official information from the Ukrainian side and started setting the first protective barriers on the Dniester. On March 11, rescuers installed the first anti-pollution filter in the area of the village of Cusernita, Soroca district, to prevent the movement of oil substances toward the water intake stations that supply more localities in the north of the country."

Anti-pollution dams and continuous monitoring

On the following days, territorial teams of the Environmental Protection Inspectorate continuously monitored the evolution of pollution along the Dniester, in order to identify areas where additional interventions were needed.

On March 12, the supply of drinking water was stopped in the Naslavcea area and the authorities installed additional dams to limit the spread of pollutants. The alert level in the area was also raised to yellow.

Support on behalf of Romania

Romania is increasing its support for managing the pollution of the Dniester River: 4,000 kg of absorbent material and 800 m of boom have been brought to Moldova.

Hajder specified that the Romanian authorities had provided technical and logistical support for managing the situation.

"In less than eight hours from the request, the Romanian government sent equipment and experts specialized in pollution response. At present, 13 Romanian specialists are working in the field alongside teams from Moldova, using modern equipment to contain the pollution. Among the materials sent, there are hundreds of meters of absorbent booms, absorbent rolls, tons of absorbent material and other specialized equipment. Protective dams have been installed at more points, including in the localities of Arionesti and Cosauti, to protect water intake stations."

Restrictions on the use of Dniester water

The environment minister noted that, on March 14, the authorities had halted the intake of drinking water at the Cosauti station, which supplies more districts in the north of the country. Restrictions were also imposed on the use of water from the Dniester for settlements located on the segment between Rezina and Dubasari.

"Residents in the affected areas are urged not to use river water for domestic consumption or for watering animals for the next 48 hours."

Environmental alert for 15 days

Given the persistent risks, the government of Moldova has declared an environmental alert for the Dniester basin for a period of 15 days. The measure allows rapid mobilization of additional resources and the adoption of urgent interventions to limit pollution and protect water sources.

In the next 24 hours, the authorities will install additional barriers at the Dubasari reservoir and will check alternative water sources for the population. Citizens are urged to follow only official information and are assured that the situation is being continuously monitored.

The Dniester River has been affected by contamination with oil substances following the attack on a Ukrainian hydropower plant by Russian forces. The pollutant was discharged into the watercourse and started moving toward the territory of Moldova, endangering aquatic ecosystems and water sources for riverside communities.

Romania has provided technical and logistical support, helping to reinforce barriers and filtration systems, as well as to monitor water quality on transboundary watercourses. Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu requested, through the Interior Ministry, the activation of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, and the Defence Ministry intervened with military personnel, equipment and technical units, in order to support operations to protect the river and riparian areas.