Direct Humanitarian Actions, Reconstruction of WASH Infrastructure (emergency, recovery, sustainable construction)

Ukraine has been suffering from full scale Russian military aggression since 24 February 2022. During the occupation, and especially now during the warfare in the winter of 2024, water and energy infrastructure were explicitly targeted. As a result of the hostilities, essential infrastructure is damaged and continues to break down due to lack of maintenance. Citizens who stayed or returned to the affected areas face difficult living conditions and lack of basic services, especially along the frontline. 

The populations along the frontline in the oblasts of Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaphorizhia, Dnipro, Kherson, Mykolaiv and Donetsk have the highest humanitarian needs. The uncertainty of frontline movements and the evolution of the conflict in general requires flexible programming to assist the most vulnerable populations in the most affected areas.

• Vodakanals (VK) / Central heating tilities / City councils (municipalities)

• Civilian populations in conflictaffected reas, prioritizing the most vulnerable relying on public water & sanitation and heating services

1)  Emergency repairs to damaged water supply, sanitation and heating systems along the frontline are conducted and access to water to conflictaffected communities restored.  

2)  Water supply and sanitation systems in selected towns are modernized and optimized through systematic and structural improvements. 

3)  Innovative solutions to inform wider reconstruction efforts and build-back-better approaches are actively piloted and operationalized. 

Principaux résultats attendus:  

1)  a) Emergency responses related to water supply, sanitation and heating are implemented based on needs; b) Emergency drinking water distribution to disconnected communities and during repairs; c) Energy backup solutions are sought and heating systems are supported;

2)  a) Rehabilitation of critical water supply and sanitation infrastructure, including energy efficient solutions (e.g. solar power plants); b) Provision of engineering designs, feasibility studies and master plans. c) Provision of construction materials, equipment and machinery for water and sanitation networks, including training on new equipment.

3)  a) Circular construction and build-back-better: elaboration of sustainable reconstruction solutions assessing the potential for re-using/recycling debris (economically, environmentally and socially) into resources (materials for the reconstruction) will be explored and tested. b) Asbestos: Improved solutions for the management of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) and reduction of hazards are operationalized.

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

Over 2 Mio people assisted through installations of water and sanitation equipment;

24 Vodakanals in frontline locations and 16 municipalities enabled to repair, rehabilitate and keep essential WASH infrastructure running;

Effective nexus programming during the Khakovka Dam disaster response: from immediate life-saving interventions to repairs of critical infrastructures and construction of alternative water intake;

Switzerland is considered a key partner for Vodakanals and frontline municipalities, fulfilling important gaps in the humanitarian response;

Studies conducted demonstrating opportunities and need for sustainable reconstruction approaches and solutions.

Local and national authorities, WASH cluster/UNICEF, ICRC, IOM, UNDP, UNEP, core donors in Ukraine.

Synergies with other projects: The project is coordinated with other ongoing SDC and SECO programmes (Economic Recovery, Energy efficiency, UCORD, Support to SESU, etc.). Further, specific synergies and lessons learnt will be shared with future Swiss recovery and reconstruction initiatives (SECO, SDC, Swiss private sector).