The Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine has approved the State Water Monitoring Program for 2026. The program covers seven river basins - the Dnipro, Dniester, Danube, Southern Bug, Don, Vistula, and Black Sea catchments - and takes into account the challenges posed by wartime conditions.
Monitoring will be carried out at 553 sites across Ukraine. Special attention will be given to drinking water sources: 142 sites are located on water bodies used for public water supply, and 43 sites are situated on transboundary sections of rivers.
The program includes three types of monitoring: diagnostic monitoring at 45 sites for initial assessment of water body conditions, operational monitoring at 494 sites for regular water quality control, and research monitoring at 14 sites for in-depth study of water resources.
The monitoring will be conducted by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) and the State Water Agency. SES will analyze biological, hydromorphological, and physicochemical indicators, while the State Water Agency will focus on measuring physicochemical, priority chemical, and basin-specific indicators.
The data collected will be used to assess the condition of surface waters, evaluate the effectiveness of river basin management measures, and meet Ukraine’s international obligations on transboundary cooperation. The program also aligns with the goals of Ukraine’s Water Strategy up to 2050, highlighting the country’s long-term water management priorities.