Moldovan PM says priority to restore water supply in north of country

The authorities’ priority is to restore the water supply for all consumers in the north of the country, and this will be done only under fully safe conditions for people’s health. Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu today made statements to this effect, in the context of the situation on the Dniester River.

“For several days now, the residents of Balti, Soroca, Sangerei and Floresti have been without water in the public supply network. We know that water is a vital necessity and we understand the real pressure and accumulated fatigue that the lack of water puts on day-to-day activities, from hygiene to childcare. Our teams are working non-stop in the field, with all available resources, and our priority is to restore the water supply. However, this will be done only under fully safe conditions for people’s health,” the prime minister said.

The official pointed out that all the affected districts were supplied from the Cosauti station, where in recent days, concentrations of petroleum substances above the admissible limit have been recorded. The latest reports from the National Public Health Agency (ANSP) show positive developments, with values at 0.1 mg/l.

According to the prime minister, if in the next 48 hours, the tests show the same results or improve, he will be able to make the decision to reopen the Cosauti pumping station.

“It is important to have at least two consecutive compliant results, taken at a minimum interval of 24 hours. Only in this way, we will ensure that the water supplied does not pose a danger to people’s health,” the PM stressed.

In recent days, intervention teams from the Army, rescuers from the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU), carabineers, employees of the Material Reserves Agency and the National Center for Pre-Hospital Medical Assistance (CNMC) have been deployed to ensure a coordinated and rapid response in the affected localities.

Since March 16, seven artesian wells have been put into operation in Soroca, in Floresti the wells that pump underground water are being used, and in Sangerei most localities are using their own wells, said Alexandru Munteanu.

At the same time, in Balti more than 300 employees from law enforcement and security structures have been mobilized to ensure the population’s access to water. Over 150 tons of drinking and technical water are being made available to local residents to cover their current needs.

The Dniester River was affected by contamination with an oil substance following an attack on a hydropower plant in Ukraine by Russian forces on March 7. The pollutant was discharged into the watercourse and started moving towards the territory of Moldova, endangering aquatic ecosystems and water sources for riverside communities.

The authorities reacted immediately, mobilizing intervention teams and implementing complex measures to limit and monitor the pollution. These measures included installing filters and barriers to capture oil substances, continuous monitoring of water quality and coordination with local authorities and emergency services to prevent the spread of contamination.

Under these conditions, the water supply in more districts in north Moldova was halted.