Ukraine’s efforts to develop a national water safety planning programme were recently reviewed at a national consultation in Kyiv. There, strategic steps were agreed to help build and maintain resilient drinking-water supply systems, safeguard sustainable access to clean water for all, and ensure that the country’s drinking-water is safe and properly managed.
WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Ministry of Health and key governmental stakeholders came together to support the programme. This work, which is in line with the requirements of the European Union (EU) Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184) and part of preparations for Ukraine’s accession to the EU, will inform future investments.
Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine, noted, “Access to safe water is a fundamental human right and also a critical determinant of public health. The ongoing war has had a devastating impact on water infrastructure. The country is facing severe damage to water supply networks and wastewater treatment plants. Many people in Ukraine are struggling to access clean water, which is compromising hygiene practices and sanitary conditions and altogether raising the risk of infectious diseases. In Mykolaiv, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia, the current situation is particularly critical and health risks are especially high.”
Dr Habicht added, “A number of humanitarian organizations and emergency programmes are working tirelessly to address these urgent needs, and I believe that with a collective effort, strong partnerships, cross-sectoral collaboration, and coordinated support from national and international partners we can ensure safe and sustainable drinking-water as a part of a broader strategy for health security and resilience.”
A risk-based approach
According to the World Bank’s fourth Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment in Ukraine, approximately 70% of the population had access to the centralized water supply before the war. The ongoing war in Ukraine – now in its fourth year – has significantly exacerbated existing challenges in ensuring adequate access to safe drinking-water, putting the health of the population at risk.
The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Cluster estimated that 9.6 million Ukrainians were in need of essential water supply and sanitation services in 2024. The World Bank estimates that the total cost of reconstruction and rehabilitation will be US$ 11.3 billion for 2025–2033.
Current challenges underscore the significant need for a risk-based approach to ensuring safe drinking-water in Ukraine, both in the context of the current crisis and to support the country’s long-term recovery.
WHO recommends water safety planning as the most effective means of consistently ensuring the safety and adequacy of a drinking-water supply. This approach can provide many benefits, including improved drinking-water quality, greater regulatory compliance, better public health protection, and strengthened emergency preparedness and response. Water safety planning also provides a robust framework for targeted and sustainable investment and financing.
Mr Robb Butler, Director of the Division of Communicable Diseases, Environment and Health at WHO/Europe, explained, “Adopting a risk-based approach is a core recommendation of the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality and, since 2020, a core pillar of the requirements of the EU Drinking Water Directive.”
He added, “At present, all EU countries, as well as those countries in the process of accession, are adopting and scaling up a risk-based approach. This helps navigate emergencies, including the challenges of climate change; informs the prioritization of investment needs in the context of recovery efforts; and guides priorities in public health surveillance.”
The way forward
In 2023 WHO supported a national awareness-raising and capacity-building workshop on risk-based approaches to safe drinking-water, during which participants pointed to the need for a national programme and roadmap for the long-term uptake of water safety planning in Ukraine.
National and international stakeholders came together in November 2023 to further the dialogue on water safety planning in the broader context of strengthening water, sanitation and hygiene in a time of crisis, and longer-term sustainable recovery.
A consensus statement was reached on current needs and future priorities to help ensure more resilient and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services in Ukraine to safeguard public health. The consensus statement set the stage for further collaboration and progress in determining national priorities and the way forward for successful water safety planning in Ukraine.
This national consultation was a key step towards developing a tailored national roadmap for implementing the water safety planning programme in Ukraine. This roadmap will support accelerated progress towards aligning Ukraine’s national drinking-water quality management with the requirements of the EU Drinking Water Directive.
The event was financially supported by the German Government, whose consistent funding for WHO and other United Nations and development partners’ activities in Ukraine has been crucial throughout the country’s protracted crisis.