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. 1.24. Scheme of water purification of the city (from open sources). In general, the water that has been filling the centralized water supply system of Mykolaiv since May 2022, in most physical and chemical indicators, not only did not meet the standards of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Code, but was outside the permissible values for drinking water. This was confirmed by laboratory tests, the results of which are striking in their deviation from state standards. Salt stroke and health threats The key problem was extreme mineralization. The dry residue indicator, which reflects the total amount of dissolved salts, reached 10,408 mg/l in 2022. This is actually brine and not fresh water (Table 1.1). The concentration of chlorides (4400 mg/l with a norm of 250) made the water not just salty in taste, but dangerous. The use of such a liquid, even after boiling, causes disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. No less threatening is the hardness (32 mg-eq/l). Such water "clogs" not only the pipes, but also the human body: long-term use of technical water with such indicators inevitably leads to the development of urolithiasis due to the accumulation of calcium and magnesium salts. Hygienic paradox The only indicator that remained within the normal range was bacteriological safety. Thanks to the aggressive method of chlorination, the indicator of "coli forms common" was stably equal to 0. This indicated the complete absence of Escherichia coli and other pathogens. However, the city paid a high price for this "sterile" tranquility: the intense smell of chlorine became a constant companion of every bathroom, and the water itself, due to an excess of reagents, irritated the skin, hair and mucous membranes. Thus, Mykolaiv found itself in a state of hygienic paradox: the water in the taps was bacteriologically safe (it could be used to flush the sewer and clean), but chemically it was an aggressive brine that destroyed household appliances, corroded metal and threatened health with any internal use. The taste of such water — salty and bitter — has become the taste of the city's military life, reminding us that access to real drinking water remains a daily victory for Mykolaiv residents, and not a guaranteed right. 38