The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) and the State Water Resources Agency of Ukraine signed a memorandum on meeting the population’s water needs.

"The great war posed new challenges for the Ukrainian Red Cross Society. If previously our priority was to support the medical and social spheres, now we are implementing 138 areas and programs. One of these priority areas that emerged because of the response to the Kakhovka disaster was the WASH direction to create conditions for providing Ukrainians with water. That is why the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, as the largest national humanitarian organization, which, in accordance with the law on the Ukrainian Red Cross Society is an auxiliary body of the government, is ready to join cooperation with the state water resources agency in order to assist in providing water to our citizens,” General Director of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society Maksym Dotsenko is quoted as saying on Facebook.

The URCS noted that sustainable management of water resources, strengthening the technical capacity of the water sector, as well as supporting communities with problems with drinking water are important and necessary, especially now, when Ukraine’s water resources have been negatively impacted as a result of the war.

According to the head of the State Water Agency, Mykhailo Yanchuk, one of the priority areas of cooperation with the Ukrainian Red Cross Society is to provide assistance in the form of providing access to water to vulnerable categories of the population affected by hostilities.

The URCS is ready to take part in supporting rural settlements using imported water in providing centralized water supply, promote water supply to areas affected by military operations, provide support in improving the sustainability of the water infrastructure, including in responding to accidents and emergencies.

In addition, cooperation involves holding joint information events on issues of water and the environment, reducing the risks of natural disasters, caring for water resources, and rules of safe behavior in situations related to the consequences of war and other types of threats.