The water reserve in the main 40 reservoirs of the National Administration “Romanian Waters” maintains its downward trend until the end of July. Water supply is restricted in almost 300 localities in Romania.
Even if the strategic water reserve in the main 40 reservoirs maintains its declining trend until the end of July, it can meet the water needs of all beneficiaries who are fed centrally from the surface source.
The National Administration “Romanian Waters” continues to call for calm and social responsibility in the direction of the rational use of water resources and, as far as possible, their saving. For domestic activities, the “Romanian Waters” National Administration recommends, where possible, that people resort to using/storing water from alternative sources (including rain, when possible), so that drinking (potable) water reach everyone.
The phenomenon of drought manifests itself especially in Moldova
Next, the drought phenomenon manifests itself especially in the area of small towns and villages in Moldova (the most affected counties: Botoșani, Iași, Vaslui, Galați, Suceava, Neamț, Bacău and Vrancea) where water is provided either from the source of surface or underground water.
At the national level, there are 274 localities (from 18 counties) fed restrictedly from the surface water source, respectively 384 from boreholes/wells (from 13 counties).
The water supply networks belong to the water-channel operators and they are the ones who set the restrictions in the water supply according to each individual case. The restrictions (water rationing) are necessary because water consumption has increased a lot and a necessary time interval is needed for refilling/water storage tanks to restore reserves.
The volume available in the main 40 reservoirs
Thus, in the main 40 reservoirs (administered by the “Apele Romanian Waters” National Administration, respectively Hidroelectrica), there is a water volume of 3.27 billion cubic meters of water available today (compared to July 5: 3.45 billion of cubic meters of water). The filling factor in the main 40 lakes is 75.40% (compared to July 5: 82%), being in a slight downward trend compared to the previous period.
The “Romanian Waters” National Administration estimates that, at the end of July, in the 40 reservoirs (with an important role in the water supply for the population, industries and the production of electricity for the National Energy System), it will succeed, through a efficient management of water volumes, to maintain a filling coefficient of over 70%.
The average daily flows are generally below the monthly multi-year averages, with coefficients lower than 30%, higher (between 30-50%) on the rivers in the hydrographic basins: Vișeu, Someșul Mare, Jiu, Prahova, on the course of the Mureș, on the upper course of Trotuş and on the lower course of Ialomita.
Levels on rivers at hydrometric stations, below attention quotas
The highest values (between 50-80%) of the monthly multi-year average values are recorded on the upper course of Moldova and on the upper and middle course of Bistrița. The levels on the rivers at the hydrometric stations are below the levels of attention.
The flow of the Danube at the entrance to the country was around 1950 mc/s, being below the multi-year average of July, respectively (5350 mc/s). This value represents 35% of July’s multi-year average. It will be stationary for the next few days, then in a slight decrease, reaching around 1900 mc/s on July 31, according to the forecast issued by the National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management. Downstream of the Iron Gates, flows will be decreasing.
At this moment, for the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) there is a level reserve of approx. 28 (cm) sufficient for the operation of the NPP – up to the first warning level.
The situation of centralized water supplies
At this time, with regard to the situation of water supplies in a centralized regime (belonging to water-canal operators), 274 localities from the counties of Botoșani, Iași, Vaslui, Galați, Suceava, Neamț, Bacău, Vrancea, Hunedoara, Ilfov, Argeș, Giurgiu, Dâmbovița, Ialomița, Dolj, Gorj, Bihor and Arad (18 counties) operate in a restricted regime. Most localities are in the counties of Moldova.
As for centralized water supply systems that have their supply source from boreholes or drains, the restrictions are determined by the increase in water consumption for irrigation. It is about a percentage of 20-30% of the wells that show the phenomenon of drying up. Thus, in 384 localities in the counties of Botoșani, Iași, Vaslui, Galați, Bacău, Suceava, Vrancea, Olt, Gorj, Hunedoara, Sălaj (13 counties) there are partially dry wells. Most localities are in the counties of Moldova where the local authorities and the County Inspectorates for Emergency Situations are already taking measures to transport water in order to ensure the necessary for people and animals.
Out of the 80 hydrological drought monitoring sections, in 23 sections flows were recorded below the flow rate necessary to satisfy the requirements in terms of quantity, respectively in the Someș-Tisa, Banat, Olt, Mureș, Crișuri hydrographic basins and especially in the hydrographic basins Siret and Prut. Apart from the drought monitoring sections, the sections of 26 hydrometric stations in the rivers are dry (Somes-Tisa, Crișuri, Siret, Prut).