Two Years Since the Kakhovka Dam Destruction: EU and IOM Launch EUR 30 Million Project for Kryvyi Rih’s Water System Recovery

The European Union allocates EUR 30 million to support the reconstruction of the water supply system in the city of Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk oblast, Ukraine. The project, to be implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), is symbolically announced on the second anniversary of the Kakhovka dam destruction. 

“Russia’s attacks have severely damaged Ukraine’s water systems, leaving entire cities at risk. With this project, the EU is helping restore vital services and reduce the vulnerability of communities like Kryvyi Rih,” said Jocelin Cornet, Head of Section “Reconstruction, energy, infrastructure and environment”, the EU Delegation to Ukraine. 

The Kakhovka Dam, captured by Russia at the start of the invasion, was breached in the early hours of 6 June 2023, causing dozens of deaths and massive damage, submerging 620 square kilometres of territory in four oblasts—Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia. The 2023 Post-Disaster Needs Assessment, prepared jointly by the United Nations and the Government of Ukraine, with inputs from the World Bank Group and the European Union, estimated the loss and damage caused by the dam destruction at USD 14 billion. 

Before the disaster, Kryvyi Rih was relying on the water supply from the Kakhovka Reservoir. With it no longer viable, the city has been dependent on degraded and insufficient alternative sources.  

The new EU-funded IOM-implemented project will enhance water quality, reduce energy consumption, and reduce water losses across the city's pipeline network. In partnership with Kryvyi Rih Vodokanal (water company) and local authorities, IOM will rehabilitate pumping stations, replace pipelines, and improve the efficiency of the city’s water treatment plant. Over the next two years, the project will benefit up to 700,000 residents of Kryvyi Rih, including around 80,000 internally displaced people. 

The European Union and IOM were among the first responders to the Kakhovka dam disaster. Since June 2023, IOM, funded by international donors, has assisted more than 50,000 people impacted by the flooding and infrastructural collapse caused by the dam’s destruction. Through emergency water trucking, distribution of essential non-food and hygiene items, installation of decentralized and alternative heating systems or solid fuel boilers, and support of heating needs during cold months, IOM helped ensure continuity of essential services in some of the hardest-hit areas. In particular, IOM’s assistance provided to Kryvyi Rih Vodokanal with the EU funding included repair kits and equipment to bolster public infrastructure under strain.