In more than half of Vinnytsia's wells, the water is unsuitable and unsafe for consumption due to non-compliance with sanitary standards. This conclusion was reached by specialists from the Vinnytsia City Department of the Main Directorate of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection. The results of the colleagues' research were published by the Main Directorate of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection in Vinnytsia region, UNN reports.
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It is noted that in 2023, 98 water samples from Vinnytsia wells were examined for microbiological indicators.
"74 of which did not meet the sanitary requirements for total coliforms and the presence of E. coli. We analyzed 98 samples for sanitary and chemical parameters, 48 of which did not meet the standard values for total hardness, chloride and nitrate content," the report says.
The Main Department of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection in Vinnytsia Oblast emphasized that due to the danger of water in wells to human health, as many as 12 letters were sent to the director of the Department of Utilities and Improvement of Vinnytsia City Council and the head of the Association of Vinnytsia Self-Organization Bodies on the need to clean and disinfect public wells and repair them.
However, the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection did not report whether the mayor of Vinnytsia, an ally of former Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, Serhiy Morgunov, and his subordinates had any reaction to this situation.
The problem is that the wells were, in fact, an alternative source of drinking water for Vinnytsia residents, because the water from the water supply system in Vinnytsia is not very safe either.
Last year, during the outbreak of hepatitis A in Vinnytsia, tap water was considered one of the main versions of the mass infection.
At that time, experts conducted a study and concluded that the tap water in Vinnytsia was one of the dirtiest in Ukraine.
As noted by the Chief Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine Ihor Kuzin at the time, more than 400 water samples were taken from the city's water supply network and other water sources. Almost 30% of the samples exceeded the standard for microbiological indicators, which is a significant deviation from the norm.
"I would like to note that 30% is a rather high figure, given that the average figure in Vinnytsia region usually does not exceed 11%, and in Ukraine it is 7.5%. As for the chemical indicators of drinking water. According to the results of the study of all water samples, deviations from the norm were found in almost 60%. This is also quite a high figure, because on average in Ukraine we record about 20% of deviations," said Kuzin.
One of the reasons for water contamination in wells is often cited as the deterioration of sewer networks, which allow sewage to enter groundwater.
So, in fact, it is the Vinnytsia Regional Water Supply Company that is responsible for the fact that the water in the city is contaminated and not advisable to drink.
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This utility company is headed by Dmytro Kistion, the son of Hroshman's longtime associate, former head of Vinnytsiaoblvodokanal and now first deputy chairman of the Vinnytsia Regional Council, Volodymyr Kistion.
Instead of taking measures to improve the quality of water in the city, Vinnytsia Regional Water Supply Company complainsthat people do not pay for water and is involved in criminal proceedings for embezzlement of budget funds.
In December 2023, law enforcement officers completed an investigation into the former head of Vinnytsiaoblvvodokanal for embezzling 10 million budget funds for the repair of sewer networks.
The essence of the case is that in 2018, the utility company purchased equipment from a shell company to perform the relevant work at inflated prices.
Then these 10 million were laundered and ended up in the pockets of all those involved in the fraud.
Law enforcement officials, of course, did not disclose the name of the key person involved in the case, but at the time, the Vinnytsia Regional Water Utility was headed by Oleksandr Chernyatynskyi.
Chernyatinsky and the head of the capital construction department of the Vinnytsia regional water utility, Serhiy Hryhoruk, who is also involved in the case, are suspected of embezzlement of property on a particularly large scale, committed by a group of people by prior conspiracy, through abuse of office.
They both face up to 12 years in prison.
Chernyatynskyi headed the Vinnytsia regional water utility from July 2016 to March 2022, and, according to local media, is the godfather of Volodymyr Kistion. Chernyatinsky's deputy was Dmytro Kistion.