Mitryasova, O. CHRONICLES OF THIRST: DOCUMENTING MYKOLAIV'S WATER SECURITY CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS IN A WAR-AFFECTED CITY: Monograph. Mykolaiv: PMBSNU, 2026, 124 p.

CHRONICLES OF THIRST: DOCUMENTING MYKOLAIV'S WATER SECURITY CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS IN A WAR-AFFECTED CITY The history of the Mykolaiv water supply system is not just a chronicle of pipes and pumps. This is an epic about how human will and engineering genius tamed the steppe drought, paving the way for the first artesian wells and, ultimately, the ambitious project of the Dnipro water pipeline. This is the story of how the city learned to overcome its natural thirst, not yet knowing that in a century water will again become the main tool for testing its invincibility. To comprehend the scale of water security of modern Mykolaiv, it is worth looking into the depths of the mine, to the very origins of the city in the Northern Black Sea region. When in 1789 the first stones of the shipyard were laid at the mouth of the Inhul, pioneer shipbuilders found themselves alone with the harsh steppe climate. The first settlers relied on single wells, but the rapid economic growth of the city quickly revealed the limitations of underground sources. The realization that without a reliable water supply the city would have no future came instantly. Already in 1791, the military governor Nikolai Mordvinov approved an ambitious project for the first gravity water pipeline, called "Spassky". For its implementation, five thousand ceramic pipes were sent to Mykolaiv - a technological miracle of that time. However, despite the determination of the plans, this first large- scale idea remained on paper, not being implemented due to the technical and logistical challenges of the era of traits. 1.5. In parallel with the engineering searches, another story unfolded — the story of natural blessing. Back in 1790, a powerful source of fresh water was discovered in Bogoyavlensk (modern Korabelny district), which was capable of producing an incredible 100 thousand buckets every day. This spring not only gave fresh water to people, but also gave almost half of its strength to the waters of the Southern Buh. Legends arose around this place, which still live in the memory of the city. Legends say that the name "Bogoyavlensk" appeared after God himself took pity on the first settlers. Striking His staff on dry ground, He opened the spring, giving the populace "a treasure for all time." This legend of the Lord's apparition became a symbolic reminder that for Mykolaiv, water was never just a resource, it was always a sacred gift, on which the very existence of life in the steppe depended. The Bohoyavlenk spring became not only a legend, but also the true heart of the city's first water supply system. The complex of structures erected around it was an example of functionality and aesthetics of the time. It consisted of a special prefabricated pool and a fountain, the architectural center of which was a patterned cylinder buried one and a half meters into the ground. 13