Needs Assesment

Due to the full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine, many infrastructure facilities have been destroyed, severely impacting water supply and sanitation systems. The lack of access to water and hygiene, combined with challenges such as destroyed housing, food shortages, and limited financial resources, poses catastrophic risks to people’s lives and health. In addition to ongoing shelling and infrastructure destruction, access to water is further complicated by the consequences of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant explosion.

According to the Ukraine Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, in 2025, 8.5 million people in Ukraine need water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance, including 1.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).

The full-scale invasion caused significant damage to water supply and wastewater infrastructure due to shelling.

Utilities are unable to finance the repair of damaged facilities independently and face potential systemic failures, especially in areas near the frontline, due to the inability to pay personnel, procure necessary materials, or replace backup systems. 

At the household level, access to basic hygiene items and centralized WASH services is often limited, especially in frontline areas. This leads to decreased use, reliance on unsafe alternatives, and risks to those trying to access services. Complicated logistics and safety risks for suppliers in frontline zones have led to a significant reduction in markets, and in some cases, they have disappeared entirely. Additionally, a large proportion of residents remaining in these communities have limited mobility due to age or disability and face major health risks due to a lack of funds or high costs, making it challenging to meet basic hygiene needs.

Since the full-scale invasion in 2022, Caritas Ukraine has been implementing a comprehensive WASH assistance program, expanding types of support to meet the growing needs. A priority component is systemic solutions to restore water access in the most vulnerable and affected communities, along with meeting the basic hygiene needs of vulnerable populations. From 2022 to 2025, the comprehensive program has been active in Kyiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv regions.

Program Goals 

The goal of the WASH program is to:

Strategic Goals of Caritas within the Program 

1. Ensure access to safe water.
2. Improve access to sanitation.
3. Ensure access to basic WASH products.
4. Enhance the operation and maintenance of centralized heating systems.
5. Improve water supply and wastewater systems.
6. Improve solid waste management systems.
7. Advance water resource management and integrate environmental standards into water and sanitation programs, supported by advocacy efforts and volunteer initiatives

Areas of Activity 

• Construction, repair, or reconstruction of water supply sources (wells, towers, storage tanks, etc.)
• Water quality improvement and safety monitoring
• Installation and maintenance of water filtration systems in institutions/public facilities
• Maintenance, repair, and support for water supply and wastewater systems
• Provision of generators or other alternative power sources for water supply/wastewater providers
• Technical maintenance, monitoring, and repair of centralized heating systems
• Emergency water supply: distribution of bottled water, water delivery by tankers, voucher-based water distribution, etc.
• Establishment of access points for drinking water
• Distribution of hygiene kits or vouchers
• Provision of basic WASH goods and services in crisis situations
• Repair and upgrade of existing sanitation systems, construction, and setup of sanitation facilities (toilets, showers, etc.)
• Provision of laundry equipment (washing and drying machines)
• Development and implementation of solid waste management programs
• Raising awareness about hygiene, water safety, and its proper use
• Advocacy for improved water resource management and integration of environmental standards through consultations with authorities, awareness campaigns, and volunteer actions to promote sustainable solutions

Public Benefit 

Thus, the WASH program not only addresses urgent humanitarian needs but also lays the groundwork for the long-term recovery and development of affected communities, promoting resilience, health, and well-being for years to come.

What Has Been Done 

The WASH program has already implemented a significant amount of work in regions affected by the war in Ukraine to improve access to clean water and adequate sanitation. From January 2024, the following activities were completed:

• Repair of decentralized water supply systems: 21 water towers and 21 wells have been restored, providing stable water access to 35,000 people. This includes repairing and modernizing old water supply systems damaged by hostilities, as well as installing new systems where necessary. Regions: Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv.
• Installation of filtration equipment: Modern filtration stations were installed in 35 socially significant institutions, such as hospitals, schools, and kindergartens, on water utility premises, providing quality drinking water to over 20,000 people.

• Restoration of wells and filtration stations: Seven wells were restored, and four powerful filtration stations were installed in Kharkiv region.

• Emergency response: Emergency bottled water supplies were provided to nearly 9,000 people, and water delivery by tankers served 17,000 beneficiaries in communities where regular water supply was completely disrupted. This helped avert a humanitarian disaster in the hardest-hit regions.
• Distribution of hygiene kits: Nearly 50,000 hygiene kits were distributed to vulnerable populations along the frontline, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and residents of collective centers across Ukraine, prioritizing those who cannot afford or access these items.
• Improvement of sanitary and hygiene conditions in 10 social institutions: In educational and healthcare institutions, sanitary conditions were significantly improved, benefiting vulnerable population groups.
• Support for water supply operations: Generators were provided to maintain stable water access during power outages.

Organizational Achievements In WASH Program Implementation 

• Systematization and standardization of operational processes.
• Provision of stabilization solutions for communities.
• Strategic team formation and program goals alignment.
• Communication strategy for the program.
• Preparation of standard operating procedures (sops).
• Project mapping to avoid duplication.
• Participation in international platforms.

Geography Of Humanitarian Response In The WASH Sector 

The WASH program is implemented in Ukraine’s most affected regions, including Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Kharkiv. These areas were selected based on the severe impact of hostilities on their infrastructure and the high concentration of affected populations. Efforts are primarily focused on providing access to water for communities impacted by the war, including restoring water sources and ensuring access to clean drinking water. The program also prioritizes access to essential hygiene items for vulnerable populations in frontline areas.

Our partners

Caritas Ukraine collaborates with international partners and donors to increase the scale of assistance to affected populations.

Key partners supporting WASH projects include: Cordaid, Caritas Norway, Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF), Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), Caritas Internationalis, DG ECHO, NIN+ADA.

Key Areas For Improvement And Reinforcement

Effective WASH Program Implementation requires a comprehensive approach, integrating each of the following aspects into a unified strategy. This approach ensures sustainable development and improves the quality of life for those affected by the war.

• Long-term projects for infrastructure restoration: restoring water supply, wastewater, and heating systems in regions where infrastructure has been destroyed due to hostilities, as well as in areas with high concentrations of IDPs.
  • Need: Implement long-term (3-5 year) projects that include the reconstruction of water supply infrastructure, ensuring its stable functionality, and developing an exit strategy.
  • Challenge: Securing funding for long-term projects, maintaining a high level of community and local government involvement, and conducting project monitoring and evaluation throughout the implementation period.
• Improving water access in collective centers and temporary housing:
  • Need: Provide access to clean water and sanitation facilities for residents in collective centers and temporary housing, creating dignified living conditions and developing an exit strategy from these centers.
  • Challenge: Responding quickly to the needs of new and existing centers, ensuring a steady supply of resources, coordinating with other humanitarian organizations and authorities to avoid duplication, and effectively utilizing resources.
• Program Team for Planning and Improvement:
  • Need: A dedicated program team to plan, enhance program activities, mobilize resources, and find optimal solutions for their use.
  • Challenge: Recruiting specialists, ensuring continuous professional development, and creating effective mechanisms for team management and coordination.
• Building Capacity of Local Teams:
  • Need: Strengthen the capacity of local teams to assess population needs, engage with the program to address issues, and coordinate actions with communities and local residents.
  • Challenge: Providing resources for local teams, supporting their motivation and active involvement, and creating mechanisms for effective communication and cooperation with other stakeholders.

Case Studies From Past Years 

Restoration of water supply in the Kharkiv, Kherson, and Dnipropetrovsk regions with the support of Cordaid

Currently, in the Kharkiv region, supported by Cordaid (Netherlands), work is underway to restore seven wells and install four powerful filtration stations, improving sanitary and hygienic conditions in ten socially significant institutions.

In a relatively short period, we successfully installed two filtration stations at the Kharkiv Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital. This hospital serves a large number of patients, approximately 1,000 per month, including children with their parents. There is a daily need for safe water for preparing food for infants and for drinking. In light of this, the filtration stations were installed in the food block and the surgical department.

We have improved sanitary and hygienic conditions and access to drinking water for individuals and children with disabilities. For this activity, social institutions such as special schools and boarding schools were selected. For example, the “Bohodukhiv Special School” for children with disabilities had its wells restored, a filtration station installed, and repairs made to children’s restroom facilities. Similar sanitary improvements were carried out at the Rzhavets Psychoneurological Boarding School, which currently accommodates around 180 men with disabilities aged 18 and over who require constant care, as well as domestic and medical assistance.

With the support of Cordaid, Caritas has restored wells and water towers and installed water filtration systems in the Kherson and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Thanks to this support, 33,400 people affected by the destruction of the Kakhovka Reservoir now have access to water.

In December 2023, Caritas Kryvyi Rih installed a water tower in the village of Velyka Kostromka in the Kryvyi Rih district of Dnipropetrovsk region. In the Hleivka territorial community, eight filtration systems were established. Additionally, a new water tower was set up in the village of Borozenske in Kherson region, where the local water supply network had been damaged by the occupiers, leading to a lack of drinking water for residents. Now, the inhabitants have a stable water supply. A powerful filtration station was also installed at the Zelenodolsk city water utility, allowing residents affected by the explosion at the Kakhovka Reservoir to receive up to 3 tons of purified drinking water daily for free.

“If you look at the recently liberated areas or those near active combat zones, people there do not have access to water. Therefore, Caritas’s work in restoring water supply and sanitation in remote, war-affected communities and socially significant institutions is crucial. I believe that Ukraine and its people need our support. I have previously visited regions affected by the war and have seen the terrible condition of the people whose lives and health are constantly under threat. This mostly affects vulnerable populations who suffer the most from the war. They urgently need our help. They cannot manage on their own right now. It is vital to provide support,” says Paul Borsboom, Global WASH Advisor at Cordaid (Netherlands).

Restoration of water supply in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions with the support of Caritas Norway

With the support of Caritas Norway and funding from Norway, we are implementing a project to ensure water supply and restore decentralized water supply systems in frontline communities of the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. We are distributing drinking water. In particular, with the support of our partners, we have restored 9 wells and water towers and installed 15 filtration stations in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Our ongoing efforts also focus on providing personal and household hygiene items to those who cannot afford or access them. This includes internally displaced persons (IDPs), residents of collective centers, and socially vulnerable families in frontline communities. As of September 2024, with the support of Caritas Norway, over 28,000 hygiene kits have been provided to people with disabilities, children, and vulnerable individuals. In communities where access to water is limited, more than one and a half million liters of drinking water have already been distributed.

“One thing you quickly discover is the resilience of the people. We wandered a bit around the city. We saw bombed buildings, but we also witnessed the resilience of the people. We saw that those who live here have hope for a better future. Caritas Norway, together with other Caritas organizations, supports WASH initiatives. The needs in the region are immense, not only in the WASH sector but also in many other areas of life. I believe it is crucial to support the population not just in this frontline region but throughout Ukraine. I hope that in 2025 we will continue to work to support people who believe in victory and a better future but still need help,” stated Alexander  Roskestad from Caritas Norway during a monitoring visit to Pokrovsk district in Donetsk region.

Water supply restoration in the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions

Residents of Mykolaiv and Kherson regions have endured many hardships over more than two years of full-scale invasion: shelling, occupation, lack of electricity and gas, living in basements, and the destruction of the Kakhovka Reservoir. Today, the issue of water supply is one of the most pressing concerns in the southern region. Daily activities such as cooking, making coffee or tea, and brushing teeth become constant inconveniences, and sometimes real challenges without quality water.

In 2023, Caritas Mykolaiv, with the support of Caritas Ukraine, initiated a large-scale project to install water purification systems for social facilities in the city and region. One such institution was the Stepivskyi Children’s Home, which housed 129 people with mental disabilities. The Mykolaiv City Maternity Hospital No. 2 became the second social institution where Caritas Ukraine supported the installation of filtration and purification systems. Water for purification is drawn from a well and used for drinking, cooking, and for mothers who have given birth. Importantly, the purified water is available not only to hospital patients and staff but also to local residents. Additionally, patients at the Berezneguvatka Central District Hospital and villagers have free access to purified drinking water.

Throughout 2023-2024, we worked to ensure access to water for residents of communities affected by the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP within Mykolaiv and Kherson regions. With the support of the Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund (UHF), a project was implemented to restore 7 wells and install 4 filtration stations.

Water supply restoration in Kyiv region 

Due to Russian military aggression, the largest water treatment and iron removal station of the Irpin Water Utility, which provided water for over 210,000 residents, was damaged. In 2022-2023, Caritas Ukraine provided financial assistance for construction and installation works and the purchase of powerful filtration equipment. Importantly, the treatment station operates without chemical reagents (chlorine and hypochlorite) and uses natural filtering materials. This assistance stabilized the water supply system in Irpin, improving living conditions for over 210,000 residents and more than 30,000 internally displaced persons. Furthermore, the project benefited 10 schools, 6 kindergartens, and medical facilities, including the Irpin Central Hospital, a children’s hospital, and 7 outpatient clinics. This assistance was made possible with the support of the Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund (UHF).

On March 20, an expert discussion and photo exhibition titled “Water in the Fire of War” took place in Kyiv. The event was organized by Caritas Ukraine in partnership with Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv as part of the #WASHinWAR campaign. It brought together representatives of the government, international organizations, civil society initiatives, and the expert community to discuss the impact of war on water resources and explore ways to restore them.