Zelensky: Water of Donbas public utility company to be modernized in three years

“I am sure this will be done within three years under the guidance of the head of the regional state administration and jointly with our partners, Swiss companies. That's for sure. The main thing is to modernize underground utility systems as the company is very large,” President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists during a visit to Donbas, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The main thing is that we do not depend on anyone and that our people have clean drinking water every day," the President added.

Head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration, chief of the regional military-civil administration Pavlo Kyrylenko confirmed that modernization of the Water of Donbas company is designed for three years. The cost of the project is over UAH 5 billion.

As reported, the "Water of Donbas" public utility company supplies drinking water to about four million residents of Donetsk region, including in the temporarily occupied territory. Since 2014, the company facilities have been repeatedly shelled by illegal armed groups and, therefore, stopped water supplies.

Since 2015, the Water of Donbas public utility company has been receiving humanitarian aid from the Swiss government to ensure the quality of drinking water for the population of the Donetsk region. In 2016-2019, the company received assistance to the tune of UAH 49.8 million.

According to the new Swiss Cooperation Program with Ukraine for the next three years, CHF 1.4 million will be allocated for the needs of the Donbas Water in 2020.

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