SUSTAINABLE USE OF WATER RESOURCES: PERSPECTIVE FOR UKRAINE Valentina V.Pidlisnyuk , Mukhailo Borisuyk*, Iryna Pidlisnyuk** National Agricultural University, Geroyv Oboronu, 17, Kyiv, 03040, Ukraine Phone/fax: (+ 380 44) 267 87 65, E-mail:
[email protected]; www.nauu.com.ua * Ukrainian Parliament, Shovkovichna 4, Kyiv, 03020, Ukraine Phone/Fax: (+380 44) 255 2710, E-mail:
[email protected], www.rada.kiev.ua ** Sustainable Development and Ecological Education Center, Stelmakha 7/2 of.3, Kyiv, 03041, Ukraine, Phone: (+38044) 269 5196, E-mail:
[email protected] Sustainable Water Use Water plays a key role in sustainable development theory and practice and is crucial to their social, economic and environmental dimensions. The main goal on a global scale is to guarantee equal rights in access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation. At the international level water should be considered as a common good and not subject to WTO negotiations. Sustainability in terms of water use has to seek a balance between water available at any particular point in time and space with the demand for water for various “uses”, and the need for enough water to safeguard human health and the aquatic ecosystem [1]. For increasing availability of water such measures have to be maintained: (a) control and decrease the demand for water (e.g. charging for water and metering), (b) providing effective and adequate water management, (c) leakage control, (d) strengthening ecological education of ordinary people. In agricultural practice in particular some measures will conduce the sustainable use of water resources: (a) using dripper systems delivering water directly to the plant roots instead of over head irrigation, (b) lowering the water source and decrease the pressure of the application, (c) release pulses of water instead of releasing water continuously, (d) transporting water in lined, covered canals, (e) irrigating at times other than the middle of the day, when much of the water evaporates, (f) planting trees as shelter belts, which decreases wind erosion as well as evaporative, (g) watering only when crops need it instead of on a fixed schedule [2]. Domestic conservation and increasing of public awareness can make a substantial input to sustainable water use. Simple steps such as stopping leaks, washing dishes and clothes as efficiently as possible, use of conserving appliances, taking shorter showers can help. It is smart to adopt more conservative use practices now than to be forced to do so by scarcity in the future [1,3]. State of Water Resources in Ukraine Ukraine has a relatively low level of water resources estimates as 1 m3 of water resources per citizen per year. Surface water resources are formulated by 63,119 rivers with river’s length around 206,000 kilometers. Ten biggest rivers with water collection area over 50,000 square kilometers are: Dnipro, Danube, Dnister, Desna, Siversky Donetz, Tissa, South Byug, West Byug, Pryt, and Pripyat. Also surface water resources includes also 81 medium rivers with water collection area 2,000 - 50,000 km2 and 63,029 small rivers with water collection area less than 2,000 km2 as well as 28,000 streams, 7 main channels, and 1160 water reservoirs [4-6]. Main Ukrainian hydrological basin is the Dnipro which is European third largest river and has an annual flow amounts 53.5 billion m3 . 30 millions of Ukrainians and 2/3 of industry and agriculture use Dnipro’s water. The second biggest river is Dnister which has watershed area 72.500 km2 and flows through the territory of Ukraine and Moldova to the Black Sea. The total investigated resources of groundwater are estimated at some 62 millions m3 per day [4-6]. The main part of ground water resources is concentrated in Northern and Northern-Western part whereas South and Southeastern parts of the country have the biggest demand for. Water abstractions from groundwater sources are estimated at 20% and very much verified in depends on the territory. Ukraine’s inland waters covers 10881 km2 and territorial waters are estimated at 29454 km2; the first 200 m of shelf comprises 55 750 km2 which formulates around 57% of the total Black Sea shelf. The Black Sea coast in Ukraine is 3009 km long, and Sea of Azov coast is 825 km long. Major water consumers are industry, agriculture and housing & communal services. Since early ninetieth of 20th century use of water resources has been dropped significantly in industry and agriculture because of economic crisis followed by transformation, meantime water use in housing & communal sectors has been relatively constant (table [5]). Monitoring of surface water quality is carried out in 112 rivers, 15 reservoirs, 7 lakes, 1 channel, 1 estuary, groundwater is monitored at about 7,500 boreholes. The authorities involved in water resources monitoring are represented by 7 different Ministries and State Committees which causes the duplication and back upping. In 1999 the supervision network for monitoring of ground water has been established which united 1411 supervision centers [5]. Additionally observation network of the Dnipro basin state monitoring exists in which 172 stations provide ground water monitoring and 291 stations provide surface water monitoring [7].
Sector of
Table. Dynamic of water use by the basic sectors of Ukrainian economy Volumes of water use by years , million m3
economy
1993
All water types groundwater
10265.86 936.7
All water types groundwater
9174 1451
All water types groundwater
3758 1157
All water types groundwater
23574 3732
1994
1995 1996 Industry 9528 8834.0 7916 802.9 733.6 640.2 Agriculture 8999 6623 5979 1384 1181 1082 Housing & communal service 3822 3813 3721 1209 1197 1147 All sector total 22575 19474 17799 3499 3201 2948
1997
1998
1999
6549 555.6
5899 497.7
6322 447.5
4451 868
3571 619
3711 568
3572 1084
3441 1051
3315 1008
14729 2574
13044 2227
13468 2081
The surface water quality standards at the most river basins are classified as polluted or very polluted and are much below the European standards. There are some unspoiled water bodies mainly situated in the top mountainous areas. Dninpo river is particularly polluted with heavy metals, phenols, and pesticides residues [7]. Water reservoirs located at the Dnipro river are among the most polluted ones and are contaminated mostly with radionuclides, oil products, nitrite, phenols, and heavy metals. Phenols, ammonium and nitrite nitrogen, pesticides residues metabolism, heavy metals and petroleum products are among the primary pollutants in Dnister river. No essential improvement of the water quality was observed in last monitoring decade, only certain decrease in the content of ammonium nitrogen and nitrite nitrogen was observed in Danube and Dnister basin along with decreasing concentration of copper compounds in Dnipro and Western Bug River Basins [5]. The quality of groundwater is insufficient in some territories and is polluted by heavy metals, pesticides, nutrients and radionuclides [4-6]. The contamination of ground water is differed from region to region, a dangerous levels of contamination is characterized for rather populated industrial areas in the Southern and Eastern parts of Ukraine. Water quality in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov was insufficient and exceeding concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons, synthetic surfactants, HCH and other chlorine organic compounds, PCB, nitrate and other nitrogen compounds, total phosphorous are reported together with oxygen concentration decreasing [5].
State of water resources in rural area Agriculture occupies 70% of all Ukrainian land, and an extraordinarily high average of 81% of agricultural land is cultivated. Agricultural activities are caused 35-40% of total environmental degradation and are mainly displayed in increasing soil erosion, misusing of fertilizers and pesticides and strong surface and ground water contamination [3]. The run-off from farmland is the second cause of surface water pollution in Ukraine. The situation is aggravated by inappropriate manure storage, leaks from live stock farms and cattle breeding together with direct discharges of waste water from the households into aquifers. Bacterial pollution of water resources in rural areas is a very serious problem. Despite the dramatic reduction in the use of pesticides and fertilizers in last fourteen years nitrate concentrations and pesticide’s residues are still remain high in a water sources [8]. Locally ground and surface waters are strongly polluted by inappropriate obsolete pesticides storages, which are spread in rural territory in each of the 24th districts in Ukraine and Crimea Republic, the total amount of obsolete and deteriorated pesticides is exceeded 20 thousand tones [9]. Another place which strongly deteriorates the surface and ground water resources in Ukraine is co-called “dacha’s” territory. “Dacha” is out-of-the-city house with small piece of land estimates some 0.06-0.1 ha and these territories are spreading around each big and middle city mostly across rivers, lakes or another aquifers. “Dacha” is a place for a weekend and vacation for millions of Ukrainians. Retied people and people with low income also use “dacha” for growing fruits and vegetables for the own needs, and sometimes for market supply. It is a reason why “dacha” are fixed territories with very intensive agricultural practices and high concentration of people in particular in the warm season. Those places in practice don’t have either centralized water supply or waste water sewage systems along with absence of sanitation tanks. Discharge of pollutants from houses and agricultural practices in “dacha’s” places substantially exceeds the established admissible levels. The situation is strongly aggravated by the fact that “dacha’s” territories are not under monitoring or environmental control from state or local authorities. That fact together with lacking an environmental and agricultural knowledge of people living there has a rather negative effect on deterioration of water quality, loss of freshwater and seawater ecosystems and causes health problems. Quality of drinking water in rural communities is a big problem in Ukraine because up-to-date only 25 % of villages are connected with centralized water supply system which provides more or less effective water quality control. Outdoing part of rural population in Ukraine use water from wells and quality of that shallow groundwater is generally not under control. As a result, each thirteenth sample of drinking water from water supply system and each forth sample from decentralized system did not meet the health requirements for bacteriological indicators, each seventh example from
centralized system and each forth example from decentralized one has overreached concentration of chemical indicators. In Kyiv district over 60% water samples from wells have a nitrate concentration which exceeded the standard level 15-30 times [5].
National Water Policy: issues addressed National Environmental Policy which includes the water policy as a unit was formulated since 1991, and in 1998 national priorities have been identified in “Principal Directions of the State Policy of Ukraine in Environmental Protection, Use of Natural Resources and Ensuring the Ecological Safety” such as: (1) to improve the Dnipro River basin’s ecological conditions and the quality of drinking water; (2) to guarantee ecological safety of nuclear facilities and protection of people and environment against radiation, and to minimize the harmful effects of the Chernobyl accident; (3) to prevent pollution of the Black and Azov Seas and to improve their ecological conditions; (4) to stabilize and improve the ecological conditions in cities and industrial centers of the Southeastern region of Ukraine; (5) to build new and to renovate the operating community sewerage facilities; (6) to preserve biodiversity; and (7) to use natural resources according to sustainable development principles. Among seven main priorities three ones are closely connected with water issues which stress the importance of water sector for the country and its developing. Ukrainian legislation concerning the water issues includes “Water Code” adopted in 1996 which sets the basic framework for water policy and management. Other main laws in water issues are represented by: • “Law on Environmental Protection” (1991): sets the basic principles of nature protection and principles that user must pay for water resources use and for discharge of pollutants into water • “Law on Sanitary and Epidemiological guaranteeing the safe state of population” (1994): proclaims the citizens right for safety and healthy drinking water • “Law on Drinking Water “(2002): reckons for new standards for drinking water, implementation the sustainable water use management and has a chapter about public access to information and public participation in decision making process • “Law on the State Program of Water Management Development” (2002): reckons for new approach for the price of water service, implementation the sustainable water use and river basin management. Overall there are at least 50 different rules and regulations at the state level closely connected with the water legislation [4,11].
Ukrainian water policy and management and principles of sustainable development The current water management in Ukraine is a combination of command-and-control methods which include standards, norms, environmental impact assessment, permits for water use and discharge, state inspection. Some economic instruments such as charges for water use and pollution discharge have introduced in the country but are not effective enough to change situation to the better one. Elements of promotion of sustainable water use based on a longterm protection of water resources are included into Concept of Sustainable Development in Ukraine and in “Law on Drinking Water “ and “Law on the State Program of Water Management Development” . Current country’s monitoring system has duplicating and is not well-developed and effective. As far as about sustainable approaches to the transboundary water use Ukraine is a site of a number of international agreements regarding creation and implementation of international water policy and management for Dnipro Dnister, West Bug and another Carpathian rivers , Danube, and Black and Azov Seas [4-6]. Dnipro Basin Environment Program is am example of effective introduction of sustainable water use [7]. In a framework of Program the Strategic Action Plan has been created and proposed for implementation in three countries located in a Dnipro river basin. Projects focused on the improvement state of water resources through effective water management, active public involvement and strengthening ecological education can be mentioned having elements of sustainable water use [4,1214]. References 1.Melnychuk, D.O., Pidlisnyuk, V.V., and Stefanovska, T.R. Key Questions about Sustainable Development: What Everyone Needs to Know, Kyiv, Hopak, 2003, 68 pages 2.Faures J. Indicator for sustainable water resources development, FAO, 2000, 7 pages 3.Pidlisnyuk V., Melnychuk D., Stefanovska T., Potapov V. Response of Higher Agricultural Education and Research to Global Challenges // Journal of Eurasian Research, 2004, in press 4.Pidlisnyuk V., Aliev K., Stefanovska T. Ukraine and Water Framework Directive, Guide-Book, Kiev Mogula Academy Press, 2002, 44 pages (in Ukrainian). 5.National Report about State of the Environment in Ukraine, 1999 Rayevskogo Publishing House, Kyiv, 2000,183 pages.
6. Environmental Performance Review: Ukraine. Economic Commission for Europe. United Nation Report, 2000, 231 pages. 7.Dnipro Basin Environment Program, Final Report, UNDP-GEF, 2004. 8.Dnipro Basin Environment Program, National Report “Agricultural Waste Management in Ukraine”, UNIDO, UNDPGEF Assistance, 2003, 36 pages. 9.7th International HCH and Pesticides Forum // Proc. of Abstracts, Kyiv, Ukraine. “Hopak” Publishing House, 2003, 124 pages. 10.Stefanovska T., Pidlisnyuk V. Ukrainian struggle with pesticides- women bear the brunt // Pesticides News, 2002, 57, pp.12-17 11.Pidlisnyuk V., Marytovsky R. Comparative Analysis of EU Water Framework Directive and Ukrainian Legislation in Water Issues // OSCE , Office in Ukraine, 2002, 30 pages.( in Ukrainian) 12.Pidlisnyuk V.V “Ecological Information: Access and Using“, Kiev-Mogula Academy, 2002, 79 pages (in Ukrainian). 13.Afanasyev S. Clean water - Clean environment, Kyiv, 2001, 32 pages ( in Ukrainian). 14.Pidlisnyuk V., Pidlisnyuk I. // Proceedings of the 4th US National Conference on Science, Policy and the Environment. Water for a Sustainable and Secure Future // Washington, 2004 Резюме УСТОЙЧИВОЕ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ ВОДНЫХ РЕСУРСОВ: ВОЗМОЖНОСТИ ДЛЯ УКРАИНЫ Валентина Пидлиснюк, Михаил Борысюк*, Ирина Пидлиснюк** Национальный Аграрный Университет Украины, ул.Героев Оброны 15, Киев, 03040, Украина тел./факс:(+380 44) 267 87 65, E-mail:
[email protected]; www.nauu.com.ua *Парламент Украины, ул.Шовковычная 4, Киев, 03020, Украина тел./факс: (+380 44) 255 2710, E-mail:
[email protected], www.rada.kiev.ua **Центр устойчивого развития и экологического образования, ул.Стельмаха 7/2, Киев, 03041, Украина тел. (+38044) 269 5196, E-mail:
[email protected] Представлены общие подходы к устойчивому использованию водных ресурсов и меры, необходимые для их реализации. Охарактеризовано состояние поверхностных и подземныx вод в Украине с акцентом на состояние вопроса в сельской местности и на дачных территориях. Приведены результаты анализа водного законодательства страны, водной политики и менеджмента на их соответствие принципам устойчивого использования водных ресурсов.
