WASH Cluster Alert Bulletin 01 July - 31 December 2018 Issue 14 WASH Cluster Coordinator INCIDENTS ANALYSIS FOR 2018: TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS

Mark Buttle One of the most concerning trends of 2018 was that of increasing cases of injured workers operating or repairing [email protected] critical water pumps, pipelines or treatment facilities. The previous last reported injuries to water workers were in WASH Cluster IMOs: February 2015 during flare up, with none reported in 2016 or 2017. For Voda Donbasa alone there were 9 injured workers during 4 separate incidents in 2018. Incidents where small arms or grenade launcher fire was Volodymyr Kalinin reported increased, meanwhile the situate regarding land mines is more dangerous than ever, and at the same [email protected] time ceasefires were effective for comparatively short time periods.

Stas Dymkovskyy In 2018, the WASH Cluster recorded 89 incidents with water infrastructure in Donetska and Luhanska oblast on [email protected] both sides of the Line of Contact. There was a decrease in the number of incidents from 135 in 2017 , however, the geographical hot spots, around the Filter Station, and nearby 1st Lift Pumping Station, as well as near to Petrovskyi Well Field remained constant. There were 78 incidents affecting water infrastructure faced and waste water treatment facilities 11 times (with the associated environmental risks for the local area). KEY NUMBERS On 17th April 2018 one of the worst incidents occurred: five workers from Donetsk Filter Station suffered gunshot injuries, while in a vehicle during a shift change at DFS . In the same six months two workers were injured by 89: WASH incidents in 2018. shelling in Dokuchaeivesk (two separate incidents). In the second half of the 2018, from July to Debember 2018 two workers were injured as a result of mine explosion during repair work in no man’s land, of a critical pipeline sending (135 in 2017) clean water to To- 9: workers injured in 2018. retsk from . (Zero in 2017) In 2018 there were 19 incidents involv- 246: social institutions that re- ing small arms or ceived improved WASH 2018. grenade launcher fire (21% of all inci- 110,000: people received hy- dents) compared to giene support (kits or vouchers). only 5 such incidents in 2017 (less than 5,000: children received hygiene 4%). promotion Although the num- ber of stoppages of 2.7 million: number of people water and that received improved water wastewater facilities quality due to chemicals sup- halved from 73 in plied. 2017 to 37 in 2018 with the cumulative total duration of stoppages actually increased from 172 days in 2017 to 226 days in 2018. Nevertheless smaller facilities were stopped for longer periods: the average number of people affected by each day of stoppage in 2018 ISSUES TO HIGHLIGHT was less than 20,000 compared to around 90,000 affected by every day of stoppage in 2017.

Donetsk Filter station (DFS) was affected 30 times in 2018 (mostly in the first 6 months of the year) compared to 35 Solutions need to be found to incidents in 2017. In 2018 DFS was stopped for 25 days due to 7 incidents (in 2017 DFS was not in operation 51 legal and financial issues, to days due to 13 incidents). The 1st Lift Pumping Station of South Donbass Waterway (SDWW) had 18 incidents in ensure continued water supply 2018 compare to 24 in 2017. especially in . In 2018 there were 13 and 76 Incidents for Luhansk (15%) and Donetsk (85%) oblasts respectively, compared to 19 Incidents in Luhansk Oblast (14%) and 117 in Donetsk (86 %) in 2017: almost no change in the division of inci- dents by oblast. The number of repairs needed along the line of contact is grow- In 2018 there were two intense periods when the majority of incidents occurred: ing.  March to June: incidents near and in Yasynuvatskyi rayon on both sides of the LoC, and in Luhansk oblast. Repeated small-arms incidents which led to the injury of 5 workers at DFS workers, even after a strong statement was issued by the, then, Humanitarian Coordinator Neal Walker. The risk of damage through  December: incidents in Yasynuvata, Horlivka, Popasnianskyi and Sanitchno-Luhansk raions, near the LoC shelling and physical risks to workers continues to be one of In conclusion, the WASH Cluster notes that people are almost always affected on both sides of the Line of Contact wherever incidents occur, due to the shared nature of water systems. Ceasefires seem to be effective only for short them main threats for critical periods of time. water infrastructure along the

Line of Contact. The WASH Cluster is deeply concerned about the rise of incidents that risked the physical safety of water workers in 2018, a trend that has continues in early 2019. We continue to call for guarantees of the safety of all civilian utility workers and for safety zones to be established which would protect the main pumping stations and water treat- ment facilities.

WASH CLUSTER PARTNERS’ CONTRIBUTION TO UKRAINE HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE IN 2018

In spite of funding shortages WASH Cluster partners were successful in supporting conflict-affected people in the Eastern Ukraine:

 Almost 150,000 benefitted from improved WASH at 246 social institutions (57% in Non Government Controlled Areas, NGCA);

Kindergartens, schools and further education: 133 (56 in GCA; 77 NGCA)

Health centres, clinics and hospitals: 80 (33 in GCA; 47 NGCA)

Old people’s homes and other social institutions: 33 (16 in GCA; 17 NGCA)

 110,000 people received hygiene support via kits or vouchers. Of these, around 5,000 children received hygiene promotion.

At least 2.7 million people received access to safe drinking water thanks to the provision of water treatment chemicals to companies on both sides of the Line of Contact: UNICEF, Swiss Development Cooperation and ICRC. It should be noted, that the large number of people reached through water treatment hides that sustained provision of aid, and repairs that will avoid repeated need for future aid, were hampered by receiv- ing 10% of funding requested under the 2018 HRP, and by difficult access to NGCA areas.

OTHER SUCCESSES IN 2018

There were some notable positive outcomes affecting WASH provision and addressing risks in eastern Ukraine in 2018.  Rehabilitation of phenol plant waste lagoon (Donetsk oblast). With OSCE SMM support, both sides of the conflict agreed to repair the dam enclosing the lagoon, which is effectively a man-made lake where waste products of a phenol plant have been dumped for decades. The lagoon reportedly holds 500,000 tons, with toxic substances: phenol, pyridine and sulfuric acid.  Karlivka pumping station (Donetsk oblast). Voda Donbasa re-opened Karlivska pumping station in June 2018 (with ICRC support), connecting the water reservoir with the Krasnoarmiiska Filter Station. This provides a back-up source of water for people living in Pokrovsk and Dobro- pilia, should normal water supply via the South Donbass Water Way, be stopped.  Mechanism for supplying water to Luhansk NGCA (Luhansk oblast). In August 2016, the payment tool was agreed for supplying water from Popasnyanskyi Vodakanal facilities on Luhansk GCA (Western Filter Station and Petrovskyi well field) to the NGCA side. In 2018 the mecha- nism continues to work, although there are technical issues and incidents that affect pipelines.  Repairs to the SDWW. In October, after 18 months of delay, repairs to the South Donbass Water Way (one of two huge pipes) helped im- prove both the volume and quality of water to city.  Improved access to Non-Government Controlled Areas for some UN agencies. In 2018 both UNICEF and IOM increased their access to NGCA areas: an important step given that both agencies implement a significant amount of WASH work, through local partners. The WASH cluster continues to ask for greater access for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

OUTSTANDING WASH ISSUES

In Luhansk oblast, at the end of 2018 the WASH cluster recorded 8 gaps in its database: 7 water and 1 sewage-related.

Water (2 examples): On the Line of Contact in the Government Controlled Area (GCA) Krymske village requested assistance in drilling new bore- holes (around 50) for the affected population. ICRC already provided some support with drilled 7 wells in the village for common use. However, people report that during the winter time this is still a considerable hardship, especially for the elderly. On the NGCA side, there is a similar situa- tion with Yashchykove village, where a leaky water main causes local to walk about 1.5 km to a public well.

Sewage (example): Social institutions report problems with internal sewage pipes. For example, a school in Schastia town on the Line of Contact on the GCA side of the line.

Both Oblasts: the list of repairs needed urgently, to keep water flowing includes:  Emergency replacement of 500 m of 900 mm pipeline from Horlivska FS #2 to city (80,000 people) is now urgent;  Luhansk Voda have requested urgent repairs of the pipeline from Petrovskyi to Luhansk city;  The SDD channel, where it takes pipeline form near the 3rd lift pumping station. Ceasefires and demining works needed.  Two powerlines (10 kV) near the SDD channel (6 km near 3rd lift PS). No access, and materials and transformer needed.  12 km of South Donbas Water Way between Panteleimonivka and Avdiivka which affects over 700,000 people requires effective ceasefires and demining works for repairs.  Leakage of the last remaining 1200 mm pipeline from DFS to Avdiivka which requires access and repairs.  The 2 pipelines (both 1200 mm) from DFS to Donetsk city are switched off due to massive damages (airport route).  600 mm dia. pipeline from Horlivka (NGCA) to Mayorsk (GCA) has water losses around 80% due to damage.  200 mm dia. pipeline from Horlivska FS #1 (NGCA) to Zaitseve (GCA). Water is not flowing and Zaitseve PS also needs fixing.  The pipeline from Velikoanadolska FS (GCA) to (NGCA). Due to the damages, the water loses is around 30%.

The WASH Cluster encourages implementing partners and donors to make the further assessments and to step up to cover outstanding needs, both large and small.