PHOTO, VIDEO // Managing water crisis in Balti city: head of National Crisis Management Center inspects distribution points, assures of continuity of assistance

In the context of the suspension of water supply from the Dniester River, because of hydrocarbon pollution, central authorities have mobilized all resources to prevent a humanitarian crisis in the Balti municipality. The head of the National Crisis Management Center (CNMC), Sergiu Diaconu, made a working visit on the ground today, in order to directly coordinate the logistics of water distribution and assess the urgent needs of critical institutions.

The visit began with a technical meeting attended by members of the local Commission for Exceptional Situations (CSE), where the latest data on pollutant concentrations and the resilience capacity of the alternative supply system were analyzed.

After the high-level discussions, Sergiu Diaconu went to key distribution points, with a particular focus on medical institutions, where the lack of water can have fatal consequences.

At the Clinical Hospital in Balti, the head of CNMC checked the operation of the tanker truck supply system, which currently provides the daily requirements for approximately 750 hospitalized patients. Special attention was given to the Dialysis Center, a vital unit where the technological process depends entirely on a safe and constant water source.

To compensate for the lack of water from the centralized network, the authorities have deployed a transport fleet. Presently, in the municipality of Balti, there are 15 large-capacity tanker trucks and eight trailers specialized in transporting food-grade liquids.

CNMC explained the mechanism by which these units remain operational without having to travel long distances that would leave distribution points empty:

- Local supply: The tanker trucks are periodically refilled from safe sources identified in neighboring districts.

- Diversification of sources: Sanitarily verified artesian wells are used, as well as resources provided by private operators in the region, who have shown solidarity with the crisis situation.

- Stocks’ monitoring: The National Crisis Management Center has sufficient reserves to maintain this pace of intervention in the medium term, if laboratory analyses of the Dniester do not allow the resumption of pumping under safe conditions.

CNMC has assured that support would continue as long as necessary, and the number of distribution points can be increased depending on requests on behalf of from citizens or local authorities.

On the coming period, the National Crisis Management Center will remain on alert, coordinating information flows between environmental laboratories, the National Agency for Public Health and intervention teams, in order to ensure that no decision to resume water supply will be taken before the risk of contamination is completely removed.

For its part, the Environment Ministry announces that, until pollutant concentrations drop below the admissible limit, the supply of drinking water by tanker trucks will continue. On March 16, almost 100 tons of water were sent to the Balti municipality and the assistance continues throughout today.

The decision to resume water pumping into the centralized system remains strictly conditional on the results of today’s laboratory tests.