Kyiv Tap Water "Poison," Undrinkable Even After Boiling, Industrial Waste Blamed
25 Apr 2012 - 12:29 by OOSKAnews Correspondent
Ukraine, KYIV — Tap water in Ukraine is “poison,” the director of the Ukrainian Institute of Colloid and Water Chemistry, Vladislav Goncharuk, told reporters on April 15.
The water the city sources from intakes on the Dnieper and Desna rivers is contaminated with industrial waste and is undrinkable, even after boiling, he said.
He was also critical of the city’s use of the chemical preparation "Aquaton" to treat tap water, calling it a "crime against the state.”
Studies conducted by the Institute of Colloid Chemistry found that Aquaton, which was developed about 50 years ago, is a very powerful bactericide, and its use in Kyiv’s water supply can lead to the destruction of human cells.
Ukrainian environmentalists have noted that water in both rivers in the vicinity of the city is categorized as either class III (moderately polluted) or class IV (“dirty”).
“The only way to get good quality water is using wells,” Goncharuk said.
The Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center(Ukrhydromet) has noted the growing deterioration of water quality near water intakes. Most of the deterioration is caused by organic substances, it said.
