Russian propagandists picked up on the post of Ukrainian blogger, anti-vaccinator, and pseudo-expert Anton Hura about Kyiv tap water. They used it as an excuse to once again remind that water in Kyiv is dangerous. At the same time, they constantly forget that the risks for the operation of centralized water supply networks emerge because of Russian aggression.
With the support of the USAID Health Reform Support project, VoxCheck analyzes and refutes public health narratives spread in the information space of Ukraine, Belarus, and russia on a weekly basis.
The information is spreading in the network that helminths were allegedly found in tap water in Kyiv. This was reported by blogger Anton Hura. Russian Telegram channels add that this once again confirms the danger of water in Ukraine. In addition, allegedly brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine formed from residents of the western regions of Ukraine are prohibited from using tap and well water.
Screenshot of the post
Anton Hura is a Ukrainian blogger and pseudo-expert. Since 2012, he worked as a commercial director at the medical company “Bio Test Med”, which supplies equipment and materials for medical laboratories. Since 2020, he has been actively commenting on medical topics, in March 2020, he became known for spreading a fake video from the Milan-Kyiv plane, which allegedly contained passengers with the coronavirus (in fact, no). Since 2022, he has been spreading Russian propaganda narratives and conspiracy theories, at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he called on people not to resist the invaders. Lives in Kyiv.
On August 26, 2023, Hura posted on Telegram about finding a “dead helminth” in water after boiling and freezing. However, such a photo is not proof of the danger of all tap water in Kyiv. Hura does not even comment on whether it was the tap water that he was testing. “Helminth” can also be the remains of dirt. There is also no mention of the mass of such a phenomenon: the Ukrainian mass media did not report on cases of helminths being found in the water in Kyiv.
“Kyivvodokanal” checks the quality of water supplied through the central water supply system around the clock:
- at the exit from treatment facilities, control is carried out daily for 22 indicators, monthly for 48 indicators, and annually for 76 indicators,
- at artesian pumping stations, the inspection is carried out in the wells and at the exit from the pumping stations,
- in the distribution water supply networks of the city, water quality is checked every day, seven days a week, at 35 control points on various streets in all districts of Kyiv,
- The main laboratory of “Kyivvodokanal” analyzes more than 70 samples every day.
At the end of August and in the first half of September, the quality of drinking water in Kyiv complied with the current State Sanitary Rules and Regulations.
The Kyiv City Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine also conducts daily laboratory monitoring of the quality of drinking water at water intake sites, water supply facilities, and centralized domestic drinking water supply networks. Over the past few weeks, no violations have been detected.
“Kyivvodokanal” explains that local water pollution can be associated with problems of intra-house networks, the condition of which is the responsibility of the house keeper or owner. In order to prevent repeated contamination of water, experts recommend eliminating stagnation in the network immediately after their detection, flushing indoor networks at least once a year, preventing the heating of cold water in the network, insulating pipes that are rarely or not at all used.
Usually, the manipulation about the dangerous Ukrainian water is associated with the risk of widespread epidemics. However, these information attacks are easily refuted by the results of studies on the quality of drinking water. It is Russian aggression that creates risks for the population to remain without or with limited access to clean drinking water. The Ministry of Health of Ukraine gives the following advice on water disinfection if you find yourself in the zone of occupation/humanitarian disaster:
Source: Ministry of Health of Ukraine
This information piece was produced with the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), provided on behalf of the people of the United States of America. This article’s content, which does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, the United States Government, is the sole responsibility of Deloitte Consulting under contract #72012118C00001.
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