MOSCOW, October 8. /TASS/. The Russian government will allocate more than 5 billion rubles ($64.5 mln) to resolve issues related to water supply in Crimea, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at a government meeting on Thursday.

"Today, at a government meeting, we will allocate almost 5 billion rubles to the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol for the construction of new water supply facilities on the Crimean Peninsula and more than 870 million rubles ($11 mln) for the overhaul of water supply networks that are in emergency condition, as well as the development of additional wells," the head of the cabinet said.

Crimea began to experience water shortages in April 2014, when Ukraine stopped water supply from the Dnieper River to Crimea via the North Crimean Canal, which had provided 90% of water the peninsula needed for filling its water reservoirs and for irrigation. Now residents and enterprises of the region receive water from local sources. Starting September 7, Simferopol and other 39 settlements in Crimea receive water at specific hours in the morning and in the evening.