A hydrological deficit is also affecting water reserves at the Stanca-Costesti reservoir, prompting Moldova and Romania to adjust the amount of water released into the Prut River and the operation of hydropower facilities.
Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder said the priority is to ensure drinking water supplies for the population and maintain the minimum ecological flow of the river.
Hajder made the statement on Thursday, August 13, during a visit to the Stanca-Costesti Hydrotechnical Complex, where he assessed the country’s water resources and the progress of rehabilitation works on the dam.
“The hydrological deficit is affecting the entire country, including the water reserves of the Stanca-Costesti reservoir. For this reason, together with the Romanian side, we adjusted the flow released into the Prut and the operation of the hydropower facilities,” Hajder said.
Meanwhile, rehabilitation works on the dam, worth 32 million lei, are 80% complete. The Apele Moldovei agency is implementing the project, which includes upgrading the system for monitoring water infiltration through the dam, interventions on the bottom outlets and reinforcement of the concrete structure.
Authorities declared a hydrological alert on July 28 for 30 days and continue to monitor the Dniester River’s flow in coordination with Ukraine.
To preserve water reserves, Chisinau and Kyiv also agreed to temporarily reduce the amount of water released from the Novodnestrovsk reservoir. The flow will remain at 75 cubic meters per second until the end of August.