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 Fig. 1.16. Mesh chambers where filtration takes place – the first stage of water treatment (photo by Marina Ilyasova). In a special ejector unit, a stream of water was mixed with chlorine and coagulant solutions. It was a complex open-air physicochemical laboratory (1.17): 1. The previous introduction of chlorine became a real salvation during the flowering periods of the river. It effectively destroyed blue-green and diatoms that could otherwise quickly clog filters and give the water an unpleasant odor. 2. Chlorine acted as a kind of catalyst, which greatly facilitated the process of "gluing" small particles of dirt. Thanks to him, the coagulant worked more efficiently, forming heavy sediment flakes faster. The water mixed with the reagents became cloudy, but already safe. At this point, it resembled a "raw material" ready for fine cleaning. Huge pipelines continuously carried this solution further, to the mixing chamber, where the next act began - the birth of crystal purity. The process of introducing chlorine into the system is not just the addition of a reagent, but a high-tech operation, where vacuum plays a major role. The use of vacuum chlorinators at the MCP "Mykolaivvodokanal" provided the highest level of safety: chlorine gas was not under pressure, which practically excluded the possibility of its leakage into the atmosphere. The dosage of chlorine has never been static. The laboratory of the water utility adjusted it daily, focusing on the "breathing" of the river and the change of seasons: In winter (1.0–1.5 mg/dm³), when the water is cold and microbiological activity is minimal, the doses were reduced. 28