EU to continue supporting Kryvyi Rih in restoring critical infrastructure and ensuring access to clean water
The European Union (EU) in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the City Council of Kryvyi Rih, launched a €30 million project to support the reconstruction of the water supply system in the city.
The new EU-funded project will enhance water quality, reduce energy consumption, and reduce water losses across the city's pipeline network. In partnership with Kryvyi Rih City Council, Vodokanal (water company) and local authorities, IOM will rehabilitate pumping stations, replace pipelines, and improve the efficiency of the city’s water treatment plant. Over the next two years, the project will benefit up to 700,000 residents of Kryvyi Rih, including around 80,000 internally displaced people.
On 21 July, EU Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarína Mathernová, hosted a meeting at the EU Delegation in Kyiv with Acting Mayor of Kryvyi Rih, Yuriy Vilkul, and IOM Chief of Mission in Ukraine, David Womble, to symbolically sign the agreement for this water infrastructure project. During the meeting, the Ambassador reaffirmed EU`s continued commitment to support the city of Kryvyi Rih in addressing the impact of Kakhovka Dam destruction.
“Kryvyi Rih endures not only the devastating consequences of the Kakhovka Dam destruction but also continued Russian shelling,” noted Katarína Mathernová, EU Ambassador to Ukraine. “This project represents more than infrastructure recovery. It is a reaffirmation of our solidarity with a heroic city whose people are going through an unimaginable hardship. The restoration of safe and reliable access to water is essential for public health, recovery, and human dignity - and we are proud to stand with Kryvyi Rih in this crucial effort.”
“Restoring and upgrading critical public infrastructure, such as water, is vital for building community resilience,” said IOM Ukraine’s Acting Chief of Mission, David Womble. “Kryvyi Rih is Europe’s longest city and ‘the steel heart of Ukraine’, vital for the country’s economy. This project will benefit more than 700,000 residents, accelerating sustainable recovery of war-affected communities.”
Acting Mayor of Kryvyi Rih, Yuriy Vilkul, welcomed the support: “The signing of this agreement marks an important step in our strategic cooperation with the EU and IOM. It will help restore critical infrastructure - the foundation of life and dignity for the people of Kryvyi Rih. We are sincerely grateful for your continued support, which strengthens our resilience in the face of the most difficult challenges. By deepening our partnership, we can overcome them - and build a future rooted in dignity.”
Sergiy Miliutin, Deputy Mayor of Kryvyy Rih, emphasised that Kryvyi Rih is fully committed to the effective, transparent, and responsible implementation of this project. “Every stage will be guided by the highest standards of accountability, as the trust of our partners is our greatest value. Our goal is not only to achieve the stated objectives, but also to demonstrate a model of successful, coordinated, and effective partnership”, he added.
Background information
The Kakhovka Dam, captured by Russia at the start of the invasion, was breached in the early hours of 6 June 2023, causing dozens of deaths and massive damage, submerging 620 square kilometres of territory in four oblasts—Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia. The 2023 Post-Disaster Needs Assessment, prepared jointly by the United Nations and the Government of Ukraine, with inputs from the World Bank Group and the EU, estimated the loss and damage caused by the dam destruction at $14 billion.
Before the disaster, Kryvyi Rih was relying on the water supply from the Kakhovka Reservoir. With it no longer viable, the city has been dependent on degraded and insufficient alternative sources.
The EU and IOM were among the first responders to the Kakhovka dam disaster. Since June 2023, IOM, funded by international donors, has assisted more than 50,000 people impacted by the flooding and infrastructural collapse caused by the dam’s destruction. In particular, IOM’s assistance provided to Kryvyi Rih Vodokanal with the EU humanitarian funding included repair kits and equipment to bolster public infrastructure under strain. Furthermore, the EU FPI-funded project “Support to Early Recovery in the War-Affected Areas of Ukraine” has provided 30 sets of water filtering stations and 10 water trucks to serve 15 communities in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, primarily in the Kryvyi Rih District. This assistance was implementation by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
For further information, please contact the EU Delegation to Ukraine at delegation-ukraine-press@eeas.europa.eu