PHOTO // Major operation on Dniester River: third assistance package from Romania to combat pollution

The environmental authorities and emergency teams of Moldova today received the third package of technical assistance provided by Romania, a form of support considered vital and strategic, in the context of the ecological crisis triggered on the Dniester River. The aid offered by the neighboring state has enabled the immediate strengthening of defense lines against oil product leaks that threaten the aquatic ecosystem and drinking water resources.

With the arrival of the new equipment, intervention forces proceeded to install two additional absorbent booms in the locality of Cosnita, Dubasari district. These protective structures are essential for stopping the spread of oil slicks downstream and for isolating pollutants in areas where they can be removed with increased efficiency.

“Installing the booms in this strategic sector is meant to create an additional protective barrier for the localities in the central and southern parts of the country, minimizing the risk that harmful substances reach water intake areas for the population’s consumption. Remediation efforts are carried out continuously, covering the entire riverbed from the northern border to the southern sectors. According to the intervention strategy, specialists’ teams operate at strict six-hour intervals, applying environmentally friendly absorbent material to the water surface,” said Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder.

This specialized material has the property of neutralizing pollutants through absorption, preventing their dispersion in the water mass or their deposition on the banks. The cyclical intervention is necessary to respond to the continuous flow of water and to ensure a constant level of decontamination, both at the critical points of Unguri and Soroca and in the newly monitored downstream sectors, the official noted.

The emergency situation on the Dniester River is a direct consequence of the transboundary impact caused by the war waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The destruction of industrial and energy infrastructure in the neighboring country has led to massive discharges of chemical and oil substances that have flowed into shared watercourses, turning a military crisis into a major ecological challenge for Moldova.

State institutions, supported by Romanian and European experts, are working in a state of maximum alert, in order to mitigate the consequences of this incident. Environmental safety and, implicitly, citizens’ health stay the fundamental priorities of all activated crisis cells.

In parallel with the physical actions to capture the oil, specialized laboratories periodically collect water samples to monitor the concentration of toxic substances, constantly informing the population about the quality of the water resource. Close cooperation with Romania through these successive deliveries of equipment currently represents the main pillar of Moldova’s resilience in the face of this ecological disaster.

Following cross-border coordination efforts, the authorities of Ukraine have officially informed the Moldovan side about the shutdown of the source of contamination of the Dniester River. Although the pollution hotspot has been closed, Moldova’s Environment Ministry is maintaining a state of alert and strict monitoring. Minister Gheorghe Hajder emphasized that, despite the assurances received, national institutions were obliged to rigorously verify water quality before resuming normal supply processes.

Recent laboratory analyses show a positive trend, with the volume of oil substances present in the water flow decreasing progressively. Nevertheless, the visible presence of oil films on certain sectors of the Dniester requires the maintenance of restrictions. The authorities base their decisions exclusively on the technical indicators provided by specialized laboratories, with the priority being to eliminate any risk of pollutants entering drinking water supply systems.

The situation remains critical in certain areas in the north of the country, where restrictions on water supply from surface sources remain in force. To mitigate the impact on citizens, alternative supply solutions have been activated. For example, on March 16, residents of the Balti municipality were provided with drinking water via tanker trucks, a preventive measure necessary until the purity of the main source is confirmed.

The Environment Ministry estimates that, if the trend of improving water quality continues, new recommendations for consumers will be issued in the coming hours or days. Until then, intervention teams continue monitoring in more localities along the course of the river, being prepared to intervene to limit any residual oil patches that may appear downstream.