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 These structures were designed with a huge margin of safety. A two-stage purification system made it possible to cope even with severe turbidity of river water during floods. The city's sanitary shield rested on these concrete tanks and sand filters, creating the illusion of an infinite and safe resource. The pre-war experience of Mykolaiv showed that the combination of classical methods of settling and modern (at that time) quality control made the city water one of the best in the region. It was a well-established life machine, the work of which was taken for granted, until in February 2022, the war began to test the strength of not only pipes, but also the very logic of centralized life support. After a long journey along a 73-kilometer steel track through the Kherson steppes, water from the Dnieper finally reached Mykolaiv. It was here, at the treatment plant, that it was met by a mesh chamber — the initial link in a complex filtration chain (Fig. 1.16). This object is a massive buried reinforced concretecontainer measuring 8 by 6 meters and 3 meters deep, securely sheltered in a brick building. This is the "front door" of the entire water supply system of the city. Main water pipelines of three different calibers — diameters of 0.7 m, 1 m and 1.2 m — are suitable for the chamber. The internal structure of the camera has been thought out for maximum reliability. It is divided by reinforced concrete partitions into three separate compartments. This three- section design made it possible to clean or repair one of the compartments without stopping the entire water supply system. Here, through a system of special nets, the water left large river debris, algae and silt, preparing for the next, chemical stage of purification. This building was a symbol of stability: as long as the Dnieper water entered the pressurized mesh chamber, Mykolaiv could live and develop. For decades, reinforced concrete partitions held the river's pressure well, until in April 2022, the pressure in the pipes disappeared, and silence fell in the chamber halls, which marked the beginning of the most difficult test in the history of the city water utility. After the water passed through the mechanical obstacles of the mesh chamber, it fell into the zone of intensive chemical treatment. This was the first frontier in the fight against the biological life of the river, which could interfere with the work of the entire system. Just before entering the mixing chamber, chlorine water was injected into the main pipelines with a diameter of one meter. This process, known as primary chlorination, was intended to instantly disinfect bacteria and viruses. However, the role of chlorine at this stage was much broader than just disinfection. 27