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. 3.1. "Blue pens last much longer than red ones" (photo from social networks). In response to these domestic challenges, folk ingenuity blossomed. When standard plastic could not withstand, homemade solutions were used: from wire hooks wrapped with electrical tape to ergonomic holders printed on 3D printers or machined in garages. Someone ironically called this phenomenon the "Blue Economy of the Mykolaiv Region", to which others aptly answered - "this is our mokrukha". In these short dialogues, there is a mixture of fatigue, black humor and absolute invincibility (Fig. 3.2). Here's one of those conversations on the city's social media: Pavlo : Once in 2023 I received 20 bottles of Czech humanitarian aid with yellow handles - they all broke very quickly)) they are not designed for multiple uses, apparently)) Ivan : Isn't this a political advertisement? Yuriy : Apolitical. Alexander : Try another solution... Ethics of the queue Even when fresh water was already filling city highways at the beginning of 2026, spill points remained the main social nodes. They didn't just collect water here, they exchanged experience here. Helping an elderly person carry a heavy bottle to the entrance or sharing advice where handles are "more reliable" has become the norm of etiquette. 88