Clean drinking water for the population in war zones
Although there is enough water in Ukraine, the cleanliness of the drinking water cannot be guaranteed in many places due to the targeted destruction of the infrastructure. This is particularly dangerous for children, the elderly, and people with a weak immune system. They are particularly susceptible to dangerous germs in the water and are therefore at increased risk of life-threatening consequences.
Green Cross Switzerland has therefore equipped various public facilities near the front line in Cherson with systems for cleaning heavily polluted drinking water. This equipment comes from the Swiss company Katadyn Group, which specializes in the provision of drinking water solutions in the context of humanitarian aid.
In the course of a first delivery campaign in 2022, ten water treatment systems have already been delivered to the Ukraine. For example, one device was installed in the hospital kitchen of the city of Mykolaiv and another in the Mykolaiv Humanitarian Center. Another delivery campaign started on March 24, 2023 in Switzerland, went via the Czech Republic, Poland and reached Ukraine without incident on March 26. The systems could then be delivered to different locations.
The repair of the systems was not without challenges. Due to a defect in a desalination plant, repairs had to be made, which delayed the deployment somewhat. As a result, it was necessary to find a solution that could fix the defect. With the help of various telephone calls, those involved on site were able to repair the system and additional spare parts and two generators were able to get to the war zone.
Those involved in the relief campaign returned to Switzerland in good health after completing their tasks by April 3 with an impressive result: the campaign guarantees 30,000 people sustainable access to clean drinking water and is therefore an enormous relief for those affected. We would like to thank everyone involved in the operation and look forward to further cooperation in the future!
