Drought Leaves Russians Without Potable Water

IOL ^ | 9-4-2003

[blam]

Drought leaves Russians without potable water

September 04 2003 at 04:45AM

Vladivostok - Over a million Russians were left without drinking water in Russia's Pacific Far East, devastated by the worst drought in 40 years.

Officials were forced to introduce a state of emergency in the port of Vladivostok, as the dried-up rivers and reserves would not yield more than 200 000 cubic metres a day for a city of 600 000 people requiring at least 450 000 cubic metres of water daily.

By Vladivostok's mayor Yuri Kopylov's order, water would be turned on only once every two days for four hours at a time.

Moreover, the water would have to be unfiltered for economy's sake, thus making it too dangerous to drink.

'The situation can only grow worse in the next couple of months' These draconian measures are likely to grow harsher as the city's water requirements prove too much for the depleted water reserves, forcing the city officials to desperate actions to conserve water also needed for winter's heating.

Every company in the city had been instructed to dig a well in its office's backyard. Ships, foreign and Russian alike, are no longer allowed to replenish their water tanks in Vladivostok's port. All wells and springs are now "strategic reserves" placed under guard.

The government meanwhile pledged to "give Vladivostok material aid to deal with the water crisis," Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Yakovlev assured the Primorye region's governor Sergei Darkin.

Tankers would bring water to Vladivostok from the neighbouring regions - a familiar solution for the city which had often suffered from droughts and had been offered similar aid in 1977-1978.

Still, the temporary measure is unlikely to considerably ease the suffering of the city where even meteorologists are losing hope.

"The situation can only grow worse in the next couple of months. Our forecast is not a good one - this fall's rains will be only half of the usual norm, and the water reserves will continue to dry up," the region's chief weather expert Boris Kubai warned.

Vladivostok's situation is all the more surreal for the fact that the city sits on top of a huge subterranean lake, capable of providing up to 200 000 cubic metres of pure drinking water daily. - Sapa-AFP

[ImphClinton]

Bad news. But guess they overbuilt for the climate.

[Huck]

They don't have bong water in Russia? Comrades, you can use vodka.

[GladesGuru]

"But guess they overbuilt for the climate."???

Care to re-read the last line about the surrealistic fact that the city sits on a huge supply of fresh water - which they haven't tapped. Typical of socialist cultures.

Overbuilding isn't the problem. Underplanning is their problem - perhaps you could use a booster shot of Green Vaccine. Time for a trip to the nearby Doc-In-A-Box?

Speaking of socialism, care to explain this from your bio; "I believe in a minimum wage of at least $9.00 per hour for those over 21." Sounds like a Clintonite bit of socialism creeping in. Just a suggestion to analyse principles. Yours.

[William Tell]

GladesGuru said: "Underplanning is their problem ..."

And the stifling constraints of the remnants of socialist corruption.

With the reduction of the need to support the Pacific Fleet of the Soviet Union, there is probably much less reason for Vladivostok to exist at its present size. The economic situation may reduce its size considerably since there is no way to pay for improving the infrastructure of a place which has no economic justification.

It would be similar to trying to maintain the Space Station on its own revenues. There aren't any.

[GladesGuru]

It is, however, the Russian port on that ocean. With the intrusion of ethnic Chinese into Russian Siberia, this port will become more and more important. Unless one likes Chinese expansion, that is.