No hot water in Pivdenoukrainsk for more than a month: mobilisation lacks specialists to repair networks

Yuzhnoukrainsk, photo: Oleksandr Zhebet

The Yuzhnoukrainsk municipal enterprise «Heat supply and water and sewerage services» lacks professional staff due to mobilisation. Repair crews do not have time to repair the networks promptly.

This was stated by Volodymyr Protas, head of the equipment and engineering networks operation service at the «Heat Supply and Water Sewerage Utility», in a commentary to NikVesti.

On Wednesday, 18 June, residents of the city were informed that there would be no hot water in the taps for more than a month due to repairs to the network. The water supply is scheduled to be restored in August.

According to Volodymyr Protas, hydraulic tests were carried out in the city and three gusts occurred on the mains leading from the South Ukrainian NPP to the city. In order to restore water supply to the city's neighbourhoods, 12 valves on the main water supply network need to be replaced. This is currently being done by specialists. However, due to the lack of specialists at the enterprise, the work is being carried out more slowly. Recently, 22 workers have left the company.

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«Why did I submit my application before 31 July, because we managed to staff only two out of 10 locksmiths out of four teams. Of the four, we have two cutters and two welders who are currently working. We don't have enough people. We had about 30-35 people, and now we have 10. And the company needs people. We recently hired another retired welder from», says Volodymyr Protas.

He noted that preparatory work for the new heating season will also be carried out. All work should be completed by 31 July.

«The work is planned. We have a crane and a loader tractor in operation, and we have the materials. We are doing everything and going according to plan. I took the deadline of 31 July because it is a human factor. Someone has a pain, someone's leg is pulling, someone's back is sore — old men», he added.

What is the problem?

At the end of 2024, the Association of Water Utilities of Ukraine announced a critical shortage of workers. They stressed that since the beginning of the full-scale war, more than 5,000 specialists have been mobilised, which has led to a serious staff shortage. As a result, companies do not have time to respond to emergencies and risk shutting down critical water supply and sewerage systems.

It should be noted that in 2025, utilities are allowed to reserve up to 75% of their employees with military service who work in critical infrastructure, including heat, water and municipal waste management. However, only those companies that have already updated their criticality status in accordance with the new requirements can continue to book their employees for military service. Reservations that were made under the old rules will become invalid. Prior to the new limit, water utilities and other utility companies had to obtain criticality status in time to be eligible to book their employees

We would like to remind you that the problem of staff shortages was also reported in Mykolaiv. The city lacks public transport drivers due to mobilisation. The authorities propose to involve women in training.