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 The situation with Zinc also remains tense. Its concentrations in the water of the estuary indicate constant man-made pressure. As in the case of Cuprum, the main growth factor was destruction and direct hostilities in the port waters. Along with metals, studies have recorded significant exceedances in the content of petroleum products. In the context of heavy metal pollution, this creates a synergy effect: the oil film on the surface of the water prevents gas exchange, which changes the level of pH and dissolved oxygen, and this, in turn, affects the form in which the metals are in the water. The greatest danger of heavy metals lies in their ability to bioaccumulate. Once in water, Cuprum and Zinc enter food chains. Microorganisms absorb them, then they accumulate in fish, and can eventually enter the human body. For Mykolaiv, as of 2026, this factor remains critical. Even when switching to drinking water supply from alternative sources, the state of the Buh estuary as a recreational and economic zone directly depends on how deeply the metals have soaked the ecosystem. Forecasts indicate that self-cleaning of the estuary from heavy metals is a process that will last for decades. This requires the city not only to use new methods of water purification, but also to carefully monitor the state of bottom sediments, which have now become a "repository" of metallic echoes of war. Environmental Forecasts The future of the Buh estuary in 2026 and beyond looks ambiguous. Expert forecasts point to several possible scenarios: 1. Risk of secondary pollution. Even if active discharges are stopped, bottom sediments that have accumulated toxic substances and heavy metals during the war years will remain a source of danger. Any disturbance of the bottom (for example, during the resumption of shipping) can lead to a new surge in toxicity. 2. Soil salinity. Long-term use of estuarine water (even for technical purposes) and an increase in the overall level of salinity in the water area threatens with irreversible changes in coastal ecosystems and deterioration of groundwater. 3. The path to recovery. An optimistic scenario is possible only if the latest treatment technologies are introduced and the city wastewater treatment facilities are completely reconstructed. The experience of 2022-2025 has proven that old methods are not able to cope with challenges of such complexity. The Buh estuary today is no longer just a part of the landscape, but a "mirror" reflecting the price of Mykolaiv's struggle for water. Its restoration will be a long process that will require not only engineering solutions, but also a radical change in the attitude to the city's water resources. 73