The contemporary era is marked by unrelenting degradation of the global environmental condition. For Ukraine, the severity of water conservation and sensible usage is becoming increasingly prevalent. The analysis of environmental issues associated with water scarcity is essential for the long-term development of regions and is in accordance with the main tenets of the EU Directives on water quality and water management (Kabinet Ministriv Ukrainy, 2022) and the principles of the Ukrainian Water Strategy for the period up to 2025 (Vodna strategia Ukrainy, 2015), both of which are incorporated into the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU. Therefore, the analysis of ecological depletion of water bodies is extremely relevant.

The overall aim is to represent the substance of Ukraine's primary environmental concerns with water bodies.

Сonsequently, let's move on to the current ecological problems of the water environment of Ukraine as of 2022. Russia's full-scale invasion has greatly expanded the scope of water problems and caused new ones.

The most important for society among the above-mentioned is the low quality and scarcity of drinking water. According to the data of the state water agency, in September 2022 (Derzhavne ahentstvo vodnykh resursiv Ukrainy, 2022), an excessive content of chemically dangerous substances was recorded in surface water bodies, namely: polyaromatic hydrocarbons (benzofluoranthene, benzoperylene, naphthalene), zinc, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, petroleum products. In terms of water resources available for use, Ukraine belongs to the poor. The acquisition of tropical features of the climate and rapid demographic growth may lead to an acute shortage of water already in the next 30 years. In addition, the Russian military inflicted a lot of blows on the water infrastructure, and also captured water supply facilities, which led to the shallowing of many reservoirs.

The next problem is biodiversity degradation. Dolphins and cetaceans are dying because of the use of sonar by ships. Surface and submarine boats created very powerful sound signals that completely destroy the inner ear of animals, as a result of which they cannot navigate in space. As of October 2022, 50,000 dolphins have died.

The last problem we want to emphasize is emissions of untreated and insufficiently treatment of wastewater. The majority of industrial and municipal enterprises exceed the maximum permissible level of pollutant discharges (Kuzmenko et al., 2022). For today about 25% of water treatment facilities and pumping stations have completed their normative service life. More than 30% of water supply networks are in an emergency state.

Summarizing the above, we can conclude that the pollution of water bodies leads to the deterioration of the quality of drinking water and creates a serious danger to the health of the population in our country. Ukraine's lagging behind developed countries in terms of average life expectancy and high mortality are to some extent related to the consumption of poor-quality drinking water. Also, these problems are the cause of the disappearance of many species of plants and animals, silting of water bodies and degradation of land resources. Broken dams of Ukrainian reservoirs can flood lands and cities far downstream, which poses a direct threat to the lives of citizens.

References

1. Analitychnyi ohliad stanu vodnykh resursiv u veresni 2022 roku. [Analytical review of the state of water resources in september 2022]. (2022). Derzhavne ahentstvo vodnykh resursiv Ukrainy. Retrieved from: https://www.davr.gov.ua/news/analitichnij-oglyad-stanu-vodnih-resursiv-u- veresni-2022-roku
2. Kobal, V., Kuzmenko, R., Voropayeva, T., Lukse,l G., Stepanenko, O. (2022). Educational and scientific potential of the XXI century. Challenges and prospects. Revista de Tecnologia de Informacion y comunicacion en Educacion. Revista Eduwe. 16(2). 95-106.
3. Proekt EU «Dodatkova pidtrumka Ministerstva ecologii ta pryrodnykh resursiv Ukrainy u vprovadzhenni Sektoralnoi byudzhetnoi pidtrumky». [EU project "Additional support of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine in the implementation of Sectoral Budget Support"]. (2022). Instrument yevropeiskoho susidstva I partnerstva dlia Ukrainy. Retrieved from: https://buvrtysa.gov.ua/newsite/download/Water_brochure.pdf
4. Vodna strategia Ukrainy na period do 2025 roku. [Water strategy of Ukraine for the period until 2025]. (2022). Retrieved from: http://iwpim.com.ua/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/11_03_2015.pdf