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 However, private cars have become an equally important element of urban logistics. An invariable attribute of every Mykolaiv motorist was the presence of empty or filled eggplants in the trunk. Even if the driver went on business that did not concern water, a set of containers was always "on duty" in the luggage compartment. It was almost impossible to see an empty trunk in Mykolaiv at that time. The car turned into a mobile tank: passing by the issuing point without queuing or seeing a water carrier, the driver instantly stopped to replenish the supply. This "trunk stock" has become a form of insurance against unexpected power outages or technical accidents at checkpoints. How caps became the "currency" of aid Near the water distribution points in the city, you could almost always see homemade containers - usually these were the same five-liter eggplants, but with cut holes, attached to fences or poles. Their purpose was simple, but strategically important: the collection of plastic bottle caps (Fig. 1.33). This initiative, which spread massively in the city, had a deep meaning that went far beyond conventional waste recycling. Fig. 1.33. Containers near water distribution points for collecting lids from plastic containers (author's photo). In wartime, the collection of plastic caps turned into a large-scale volunteer campaign. The main goal is to finance the production of prostheses for wounded soldiers. 61