The quality of water resources and ecosystems in the Nistru River Basin District will improve. This is the aim of the new Management Plan of the Nistru River Basin District for 2025-2030, recently adopted by the Government, a document that was developed with the support of Sweden and UNDP Moldova.

The new plan succeeds the first cycle (2017-2022) and aims to continue the efforts of environmental authorities in the protection and sustainable use of water resources and aquatic ecosystems in the Nistru River Basin District. 

The document contains about 60 measures, which can help reduce and prevent water pollution, monitor the quality and quantity of surface and groundwater, mitigate the consequences of climate change and natural disasters, develop wastewater treatment infrastructure, etc. 

At the same time, the plan also provides for strengthening Moldovan-Ukrainian cooperation in the field of transboundary water resources management, technical equipment and capacity development of state institutions responsible for water management.

The plan will be implemented by the Ministry of Environment in cooperation with central and local public authorities, civil society and local communities.

The total estimated budget needed to implement the proposed measures is around 3.5 million lei, of which 2.2 million lei should be covered from resources provided by development partners.

Infrastructure, cross-border cooperation and better water monitoring 

The Nistru River Basin District covers an area of more than 19,238 km², including some 3,000 watercourses, 1,591 rivers, 51 reservoirs and 1,700 small water bodies. The Nistru River is the main source of drinking water for the population as well as an essential resource for the economy.

The plan aims to rehabilitate existing infrastructure, including the construction of the Soroca wastewater treatment plant, modernize water supply networks in rural settlements and improve control of industrial and agricultural sources of pollution. Currently, only 113 of the 155 sewage and wastewater treatment complexes are operational.

In order to improve the hydromorphologic status of water bodies, the Botna and Bîc Rivers will be cleaned and deepened, local streams will be cleared, an inventory of hydro-technical constructions will be carried out and groundwater reserves will be re-evaluated. Regulations will also be drawn up for the exploitation of reservoirs and ponds. 

To expand wetlands, the authorities will carry out forest planting along the Nistru. In the National Park “Nistrul de Jos”, for example, about 30 ha to protect water and fields.

An important objective is to improve the monitoring of the status of water bodies. The plan foresees the purchase of modern equipment for monitoring the quality of surface and groundwater, the equipping of the Environment Agency's laboratory and staff training, to which Sweden and UNDP will contribute.

As a significant segment of the Nistru River crosses the Ukrainian territory, to ensure the protection and sustainable development of its basin, the authorities intend to strengthen cooperation with Ukraine on the platform of the specialized bilateral commission and working groups. Also, according to the document, it is planned to update the Regulation on the regime of operation of the Dniester Hydropower Complex Node in cooperation with the Ukrainian side, ensure the exchange of monitoring data for the Nistru River Basin, etc.

Climate change will affect us less if we protect our waters

Climate change is one of the biggest threats to the environment, social and economic framework with a direct impact on water resources. To address these challenges, measures to promote water efficiency and eliminate water losses have been included in the plan. These include actions to prevent the risk of droughts and floods, efficient stormwater management, restoration of floodplains and wetlands, afforestation, rainwater harvesting, construction of stormwater runoff storage basins, prevention of soil erosion, public information campaigns, etc.

As a result of the implementation of the planned actions, it is expected that out of the 95 surface water bodies, 14 - will reach a good qualitative and quantitative status in the next management cycle, 29 other bodies - by 2035, and 52 bodies - by 2041. 

The Management Plan of the Nistru River Basin District for the years 2025-2030, cycle II was developed within the UNDP Moldova project "Supporting the Moldovan authorities in the sustainable management of the Nistru River", with the financial support of Sweden.