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Crimea and Sevastopol

Crimean authorities begin to de-mothball water well in northeastern areas

According to Ukrainian news agencies, Kiev authorities halted water supplies to Crimea via the North Crimean Canal

SIMFEROPOL, April 27. /ITAR-TASS/. Crimea’s authorities have launched works to de-mothball water well to replenish drinking water reserves after the Kiev authorities halted water supplies to Crimea via the North Crimean Canal, Crimean Minister of Information Dmitry Polonsky told Itar-Tass on Sunday.

According to Polonsky, fresh water reserves were discovered in Crimea back in the 1970s, when Soviet geologists drilled wells in Crimea’s northeastern areas. “But it was of no need back then,” he said. “Today, the situation has changed and we have to do it.”

“So far, we have no exact figures, the work has just begun,” Polonsky noted.

Earlier, Crimea’s Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliyev said that fresh water reserves in the Crimean northeast were enough to provide with drinking water Crimea’s south eastern regions, including Feodosia and Kerch. In his words, works at water wells would be started next week.

According to Ukrainian news agencies, Kiev shut down the work of the North Crimean Canal which carried water from the Dnepr to Crimea. The peninsula got 85% of fresh water from this canal, which was built in 1961-1971.

Crimea’s official authorities reassure that the peninsula has enough drinking water, whatever actions the current Ukrainian authorities might take, although there may be some problems for farmers.

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Crimea and Sevastopol

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