Ukraine boosts Dniester flow to Moldova by 20% amid severe drought
Ukraine has agreed to boost water discharge along the Dniester River by 20 percent despite severe domestic shortages, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan announced at a Cabinet meeting in Chișinău on Wednesday.
The decision follows bilateral talks held in Chișinău on October 14 between Tofan, Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu, and Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal. Recent rainfall in the Carpathian Mountains provided the hydrological basis for Kyiv to meet Chișinău’s urgent request.
Under the agreement, Ukraine will release an additional six cubic metres per second on average from the Novodnistrovsk reservoir. The adjustment raises the Dniester’s overall flow rate to 36 cubic metres per second, providing vital relief to communities downstream.
Rationing across Ukrainian border cities
Tofan underscored that Ukraine agreed to assist Moldova despite managing severe municipal water deficits of its own. Cities across western and central Ukraine currently face strict scheduled supply cuts.
“To understand what is happening in Ukraine, Chernivtsi has running water only eight hours a day, from 6:00 to 10:00 in the morning and from 6:00 to 10:00 in the evening,” Tofan said. “The town of Novodnistrovsk, situated right on the reservoir, receives water just six hours a day.”
The prime minister commended Kyiv’s constructive approach, emphasizing that cross-border cooperation remains critical as extreme weather strains public infrastructure in both nations. “Everyone who criticises must understand that conditions are very difficult there as well,” Tofan noted. “Despite this, we are striving to find the necessary balance.”
Prolonged drought triggers emergency measures
The prolonged drought has severely depleted the Dniester, the Prut, and smaller river basins across Moldova, pushing seasonal water levels to historic lows. Environmental authorities continue to monitor critical river sectors to ensure uninterrupted municipal drinking water supplies.
Moldova declared a 60-day nationwide state of emergency across its energy and water management sectors on September 26. Government officials continue to urge households and commercial consumers to conserve water resources while emergency reserves are managed.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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