The Republic of Moldova Strengthens Measures to Ensure Water Supply Security Amid Declining Dniester River Flows

The Hydrological Situation on the Dniester Is Being Monitored. Authorities Do Not Currently Anticipate Water Supply Problems

The hydrological situation on the Dniester River remains difficult; however, at present, there is no immediate danger to the water supply of the municipality of Bălți and the localities in the northern part of the Republic of Moldova. Minister of Environment Gheorghe Hajder stated that the water level has stabilized over the past 36 hours, while the Cosăuți water intake station still has a reserve of more than one meter.

Water Level Stabilizes at Cosăuți

According to the minister, from Sunday until now, the water level at the Cosăuți water intake station has fallen by approximately 60 centimeters. However, the decline has stopped over the past 36 hours, allowing the authorities to consider that, at present, the water supply to the localities in the north is not under immediate threat.

Technical Challenges at the Vadul lui Vodă Water Intake Station

A different situation is being recorded at the Vadul lui Vodă water intake station, which supplies the municipality of Chișinău. Built in the 1960s–1970s, the station has technical limitations and cannot be easily adapted to the declining river water level.

The Minister of Environment explained that the problem is not the physical absence of water in the Dniester, but rather the capacity of the existing infrastructure to extract water under conditions of extremely low river flow.

The Dniester River Flow Remains Extremely Low

At present, the flow of the Dniester is estimated at approximately 33 cubic meters per second. According to the minister, the municipality of Chișinău consumes approximately 2 cubic meters per second, which means that water is physically available, but the water intake infrastructure must be able to operate efficiently under the current conditions.

Discussions with Ukraine on the River Flow

The issue of the declining Dniester flow was also addressed during the meeting of the joint Moldovan-Ukrainian commission held on September 29. Representatives of the two countries presented the hydrological situation in their respective territories and discussed the risks associated with reduced river flows.

According to Gheorghe Hajder, the Ukrainian side assured that the Republic of Moldova would receive the entire volume of water reaching the upper Dniester from the Carpathian Mountains.

A Regional Hydrological Crisis

The Minister of Environment emphasized that the situation on the Dniester should not be viewed solely through the lens of relations between the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The phenomenon is part of a broader hydrological crisis affecting several regions across Europe.

Similar problems are being recorded on other major rivers, including the Prut and the Danube. In Ukraine, some localities are also facing difficulties in ensuring water supply, while in the city of Novodnestrovsk, water is already being supplied according to a schedule.

Authorities Prepare Measures to Maintain Water Supply

To reduce risks, the authorities of the Republic of Moldova have begun strengthening the technical capacity for water intake. The Government has provided S.A. “Apă-Canal Chișinău” with several pumps, including three pieces of equipment transferred recently.

The authorities consider that maintaining the water supply depends both on the evolution of the Dniester’s water level and flow, as well as on the ability of the water intake infrastructure to operate under difficult hydrological conditions.