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 Given the risks of attacks on the power system, the water utility facilities are equipped with multi-level protection at the beginning of 2026. All cable lines and key substation nodes are hidden underground to protect against debris damage. At the first section of the water supply system, a solar power plant with a capacity of 1.5 MW was put into operation, which at the beginning of the year is operating at full capacity. In addition, powerful diesel generators (1400 kW each) are installed, capable of maintaining the operation of pumps in the event of a complete blackout. The second stage of physical protection facilities for critical infrastructure, including shelters for personnel and reinforced concrete structures for above-ground equipment, has been completed. The system is also designed to support the region's agricultural sector by providing an additional 50,000 cubic meters of water daily for irrigation, which is critical for the economic recovery of the Mykolaiv region. Drinking Water Quality: From the "Salty" Past to 2026 Standards As of January 2026, Mykolaiv has been receiving fresh river water from the Southern Buh for more than three months, which has significantly improved the quality of life of residents, but the official status of water in the network remains transitional. The issue of water quality at the beginning of 2026 should be considered through the prism of two factors: the quality of water treatment at treatment plants and secondary pollution in damaged networks. The new treatment plants, the construction of which was completed at the end of 2025, use a multi-stage water treatment system adapted to the characteristics of the Southern Buh. Since the river water in this region has an increased level of organic matter and a specific smell, the system includes the following stages: dosing activated carbon in the form of pulp directly into the pipeline to adsorb organic substances and improve organoleptic parameters (taste, smell); chemical stabilization through the use of sulfuric acid to correct the pH level and sodium permanganate or sodium hypochlorite for primary disinfection and oxidation of pollutants, and mechanical microfiltration through the use of DynaDiscs, which provide automatic cleaning of fine fractions without stopping the supply process. Before supplying clean water tanks, sodium hypochlorite is injected. This technology allows the system to automatically respond to seasonal changes in water quality in the river. At the beginning of January 2026, the water in the taps of Mykolaiv residents is described by experts as "almost drinkable". Although most of the parameters comply with DSTU, there are comments on two key criteria. Due to the fact that at the beginning of the year the purification system is still undergoing the final adjustment of the reagent mode, filtration does not always have time to completely remove suspended particles at peak loads. 64