Part of Kyiv Without Water After the Attack. Is the System Ready for Worse Scenarios?

Even a Modern Residential Complex Depends on City Networks

22-year-old Nazar, a manager, lives on the 12th floor of the Sky Avenue residential complex in Solomianskyi District of Kyiv. Despite the complex having a backup generator, residents were left without water during the latest Russian attacks. According to Nazar, there was no water in his apartment for about 12 hours, although the generator continued to operate.

A different problem was faced by 21-year-old student Artur, who lives in an older multi-story building in the same district. On the fourth floor, where his apartment is located, water did not disappear completely, but the pressure was so low that it was difficult to use.

Read also: Water Disappears in Kyiv, Electric Transport Goes to Depots: Klitschko Declares an Extremely Difficult Situation

Such situations show how electricity supply disruptions affect the daily lives of Kyivans. Without water, it is impossible to shower normally, cook food, or carry out routine household tasks. And while residents of the capital have already grown accustomed to power outages, water supply problems become an additional test.

Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have repeatedly caused water disruptions in Kyiv, up to the present day. On October 8, due to a voltage drop, pressure in the networks of four districts decreased, and on October 11, problems arose on both banks of the Dnipro. Standard pressure was fully restored only on October 12. At the same time, restoring the city system's operation does not guarantee that water will immediately appear in every apartment. This particularly applies to upper floors, where it is supplied with the help of additional pumping equipment.

Why Kyiv Remains Dependent on Electricity

A large city's water supply system cannot operate without electricity. It is necessary for drawing water, treating it, pumping it, and maintaining proper pressure in the networks.

Deputy General Director of "Kyivvodokanal" Serhii Horkutsenko recently drew attention to another problem — outdated electrical equipment. According to him, a significant part of the enterprise's electrical systems was built back in the 1970s and poorly withstands significant voltage fluctuations.

Therefore, problems may arise not only from complete power outages, but also from unstable operation of the electrical network.

At the same time, the city is trying to strengthen the autonomy of its water supply infrastructure. On October 13, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that "Kyivvodokanal" has 103 generators with capacities from 15 kW to 1 MW. They were installed over the years of the full-scale war to keep equipment running during emergency situations.

However, backup power does not mean that the entire system can operate continuously and without limitations in the event of a prolonged blackout.

Director of the analytical research center "Institute of the City" Oleksandr Serhiienko in a comment "To Your City" explains that the main difficulty lies not only in having generators, but in switching equipment over to backup power.

According to him, the city is awaiting more powerful equipment that should increase the system's resilience. However, even with backup power sources in place, restoring pumping stations to operation takes time.

He notes that water supply and sewage drainage must be restored in a coordinated way. After all, supplying water without the sewer system functioning properly can create additional problems.

Another problem that Oleksandr Serhiienko draws attention to is a shortage of workers at the municipal utility company.

According to him, over the years of the full-scale war, "Kyivvodokanal" has lost about 40% of its personnel. This creates difficulties in maintaining equipment, carrying out repairs, and responding promptly to accidents.

The presence of qualified electricians and repair crews is becoming especially important, because the speed of switching to backup power depends on their work.

Why there is no water on upper floors even when the supply has been restored

A separate problem is water supply to multi-story residential buildings. On October 12, "Kyivvodokanal" reported that the capital's water supply system is operating normally and that pressure in the networks meets standard levels. At the same time, the company pointed out that water may be absent on the upper floors of buildings due to the shutdown of additional pumping stations.

The thing is that the pressure of the citywide network is not always sufficient to supply water to all floors of a high-rise building. For this, booster pumps are installed, and their operation depends on electricity.

If such pumps do not have backup power, water may stop reaching apartments during power outages, even when the municipal water main continues to operate.

Oleksandr Serhiienko emphasizes that the backup power supply for in-building equipment is the responsibility of building owners and the organizations that manage them.

According to him, residents of apartment buildings are already purchasing generators, inverters, batteries and other equipment for autonomous operation of engineering systems.

However, it is important to distinguish between backup power for the building itself and backup power for the pumps that supply water. Having a generator for lighting common areas does not necessarily mean that it can keep the water supply running.

Therefore, for residents of multi-story buildings, one of the primary questions becomes whether the building's pumps are connected to a backup power source and who is responsible for their operation.

And what will happen to sewage during a prolonged blackout?

Part of the sewer system works by gravity, but pumping stations are used to transport wastewater in certain sections. They also depend on electricity.

On October 13, Vitali Klitschko reported that the capital's sewage drainage system is fully supplied with backup power sources.

A practical example of their work emerged on October 22. According to Kyivvodokanal, during another Russian attack, four sewage pumping stations were de-energized. Thanks to the generators, they continued to operate.

At the same time, the presence of backup equipment does not eliminate all risks of prolonged power outages. Continuous operation of generators requires fuel, maintenance, and personnel.

Oleksandr Serhiienko assesses the resilience of Kyiv's sewer system rather optimistically. In particular, he points to the capacity of the Bortnytska aeration station and the possibility of individual of its technological lines operating.

At the same time, the expert expressed the view that even an emergency halt of wastewater treatment would not have significant environmental consequences due to the large volume of water in the Dnipro.

However, this claim requires a separate professional assessment. The ratio of wastewater volumes to river water does not allow determining the safety of discharging untreated sewage. This requires considering its composition, pollutant concentration, and sanitary and environmental risks.

Therefore, the key question remains not only the availability of backup generators, but also how long the sewage drainage system can operate autonomously.

Do winter frosts threaten water supply networks

The approach of winter adds another concern: could prolonged power outages combined with low temperatures lead to damage to water supply and sewer pipes?

Oleksandr Serhienko believes that the risk of freezing is low for Kyiv's main underground utility networks.

According to him, much greater attention is needed for engineering systems inside buildings, although even there the risk of freezing depends on specific conditions.

At the same time, the overall condition of in-building communications, the temperature in unheated rooms, and the duration of outages can vary significantly. Therefore, the absence of a significant risk for main underground networks does not mean that individual buildings are fully protected from winter emergencies.

What Kyivvodokanal says

In response to an information request, "Tvoho Mista" Kyivvodokanal explained that the cause of water supply interruptions during the latest Russian attacks was not only complete power outages but also unstable voltage in the electrical networks.

In particular, from October 7 to 12, due to power outages at the company's facilities, water pressure in the water supply networks dropped and water supply stopped. The company notes that even when electricity is available, sharp voltage fluctuations can cause pumping equipment to switch off automatically to prevent its damage.

To increase the resilience of the system, Kyivvodokanal is gradually introducing frequency regulation of pumps and backup power sources at key facilities. At the same time, the company acknowledges that generators cannot fully replace centralized power supply.

In addition, after a power outage, staff need time to switch facilities to backup power. That is why, even with generators in place, restoration of water supply may not happen immediately.

How they plan to supply water to certain districts

during blackouts

One of the main areas of preparation for prolonged power outages at Kyivvodokanal is named as increasing energy autonomy of water supply facilities.

To this end, the company is increasing the number of backup power sources, awaiting delivery of additional higher-capacity equipment, and considering options for redistributing water between individual sections of the system.

A separate role is assigned to artesian wells, which under certain conditions may be used as an additional water supply source.

In particular, to create local water supply zones in residential areas, the installation of diesel generators is planned. This will make it possible to start artesian wells, deliver water to second-lift pumping stations, store it in clean water tanks, and maintain pressure sufficient for the basic needs of the population.

Thus, in the event of large-scale power outages, the company is considering supplying water to certain residential areas through local systems, even if the full operation of the centralized network is limited.

At the same time, this does not mean that water will flow to all apartments as usual. The focus is primarily on maintaining the minimum necessary water supply.

Kyivvodokanal also reported that for operation in emergency conditions, they have already developed scenarios for the functioning of water supply stations during partial and complete blackouts.

In addition, the company has determined the possibility of creating local water supply zones using artesian wells and backup generators. Points for filling drinking water containers, located at the company's facilities, have also been organized. Delivery of these containers is to be provided by district state administrations.

Joint actions in the event of accidents on water supply and sewerage networks are coordinated through the company's central dispatch service with other city services.

So, the company reports that emergency scenarios are in place, but it does not guarantee uninterrupted water supply in all buildings in the event of a prolonged blackout.

What to do if water has not returned to the upper floors

Separately, Kyivvodokanal explained the situation with high-rise buildings. After power is restored, pressure in the distribution network gradually normalizes. However, in buildings from 9 to 25 floors, water supply to the upper apartments often depends on booster pumps.

If these pumps remain without electricity, water may not reach the upper floors even after urban networks resume operation.

The company emphasizes that most of the pumps supplying water to high-rise buildings are on the balance of the municipal enterprise Kyivteploenergo and are located in heating substations.

If water still does not appear on the upper floors after electricity and water supply have been restored, Kyivvodokanal advises first waiting until network pressure stabilizes. Next, contact the company's dispatch service to check network pressure, and turn to the building manager, the homeowners' association (OSBB), or Kyivteploenergo to check the pumps' operation.

If water supply is absent for a long time, residents are advised to use water distribution points and keep a necessary supply in household containers.

What else the city can do and how residents can prepare

Despite all the difficulties, Oleksandr Serhiienko does not consider the situation with Kyiv's water supply critical.

In his opinion, the city has a fairly resilient system, and the main difficulties may arise during the switch to backup power and the restoration of equipment operation.

Asked about the three most important decisions for strengthening the resilience of water supply this winter, the expert answered unequivocally:

In this way, he stresses that even the best backup equipment cannot fully eliminate the threat created by constant Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.

At the same time, he notes, it is important for residents of high-rise buildings to find out whether their building has backup power for the pumps, who maintains this equipment, and what actions are planned in case of a prolonged power outage.

The Kyiv City State Administration also recommends that Kyiv residents create in advance supplies of drinking and technical water for at least three days. The approximate need for one adult is three liters of drinking water and 10–12 liters of technical water per day.

The capital also has drinking fountain complexes, some of which can operate on generators. According to the city authorities, there are 155 such complexes. However, their availability during a specific emergency depends on the actual condition of the equipment and the organization of backup power.

This winter, the resilience of Kyiv's water supply will depend not only on the work of city services, but also on how ready each link of the system is for prolonged power outages. Generators at pumping stations, backup power sources in buildings, serviceable equipment, and people who can quickly start it up – all of this will determine whether there is water in the taps after the next attack. But even the best-prepared system cannot guarantee uninterrupted operation if strikes on energy infrastructure continue.

Therefore, not only utility companies should prepare. Building managers must ensure backup power for the pumps, and residents should find out how their building will weather a blackout and stock up on water in advance. After all, a lack of water can begin not only at the level of the city water main, but also in a specific building, even when the neighboring one has it. At the same time, the most important factor that will determine the situation this winter remains the protection of energy infrastructure from Russian attacks.

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