This year NGO “MAMA-86” events for World Water Day were held under the motto “Rivers unite people”, although in many actions working motto was “Remember! We all live downstream!”.

Film “Water — the basis of life” draws attention to this issue in particular. Film was produced in 2008 in the framework of International Year of Sanitation funded by WSSCC. Broadcasting of this film was launched just before the World Water Day 2009. 6 regional TV channels in 6 regions of Ukraine have been showing this film. It became the basis of Water Day 2009 information campaign for “MAMA-86” network in Kyiv and 9 regions.

On 22 March “MAMA-86” together with the Kyiv Water Muzeum have launched the children draw contest “Rivers unite people”.

For the Water Day infoactions "MAMA-86" has prepared information materials: “Transboundary Watercourses and International Cooperation”, the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, the Protocol on Water and Health, these materials were electronically distributed and posted on the site of NGO “MAMA-86”. There were also published booklets “Nitrate pollution of sources of drinking water in Ukraine: research of NGO “MAMA-86” in 2001—2008 years” and “Protocol on Water and Health: goals and ways of implementation”.

Various information activities: lectures, competitions, expeditions and trips, seminars and conferences, the action of cleaning the shores of rivers and water quality monitoring of wells were held in towns and villages, where “MAMA-86” network works on water issues.

The target group of these actions was children and youth, pupils and university students, teachers and parents of students, local residents and representatives of the authorities. In general, in 2009 World Water Day actions, which were led by “MAMA-86” over than 4000 students, 300 teachers and parents of children/local residents took part.

Artemivs’k

There were classes held for children of 3—4th, 5th, 7th grades on the theme: “Water — the essence of life” and “Cross-border waters of Ukraine” in Zvanivska school on March 20. The film demonstration and 3 seminars and discussions of water supply problems, water resources usage, and safety of drinking water were held in school computer class.

40 children took part in the drawings on asphalt pictures devoted to the theme “transboundary waters of Ukraine”. Pupils and teachers were given information materials: leaflet about World Water Day, booklet “Water: live or dead?”, leaflet “River Siverskii Donets — source of life for Donbas”.

Action “Clean river bank” was held on 21 March in village Zvanivka. 25 pupils of 4, 5 and 7 classes collected garbage on the banks of the river Bahmut that flows through the central part of the village, near the school. Children cleared river bank strip of 500 m. This open part of the river bank is free from shrubs and trees, so the children were able to manage the garbage collection. In order to continue the cleaning up of the river bank with dense scrub and trees, the children wrote a letter to Zvanivka village mayer Vyacheslav Shishka asking to support the action “Clean river bank” by equipment and adult help.

On 23 March the contest of drawing on asphalt for pupils of 1—4 grade and seminars for pupils of 5—7 grades was organized at school № 11 of city Artemiv’sk. 60 pupils took part in this action. Nearly 30 pictures on the theme “Water, rivers, life” were drawn on the front school square.

Children watched also film and held a seminar “Water — the basis of life”. An interactive discussion of the river pollution problems, drinking water safety, sources of drinking water and how to protect the river from pollution took place.

For children of younger classes an interesting tour on the tributary of river Bahmut was organized. Small citizens were en route from school № 5 through new multi-apartment building district Budonivka, then through the private sector to the pedestrian bridge over the river. The tour ended with lunch and entertaining Quiz of water, native land and how to protect nature.

Kharkiv

World Water Day actions took place from 15—31 March.On the eve of World Water Day in schools № 122, № 129 and № 165 thematic discussions on water issues were held, information materials of NGO “MAMA-86” water campaign were distributed; film “Water — the basis of life” was demonstrated and a competition of creative works “Rivers unite people” was announced.

Pupils of three schools prepared their creative works dedicated to World Water Day: drawings, essays, photomontage and board leaflets, which were presented to classmates, teachers, parents and school guests.

Eco-teams from schools №129 and №165 held regular spring monitoring of the content of nitrates in water sources that are popular among residents of the city.

The pupils of school № 165 prepared an appeal to neighborhood residents of “North Saltivka” which was dedicated to water. 300 copies of the appeal were distributed to residents of the city. Also, pupils of this school during spring break made the trip to the village Kochetok where the museum of water is. Children learned about water supply of city Kharkiv, water quality, protection of transboundary waters, etc.

World Water Day actions were attended by 2700 participants: 2400 children, 300 teachers and parents, among them: 60% — women 40% — men.

Nizhyn

2 actions to the World Water Day were organized in the city.

On March 20 information action together with the Nizhyn Interregional Water Management Authority was conducted with the the representatives of the authority, the Urban and Public Housing Authority and “MAMA-86-Nizhyn”. The event was attended by 32 participants. Director of “MAMA-86-Nizhyn” — Valentina Schokina made a presentation on the issues of transboundary waters.

An action “Your contaminated well can be dangerous for me” took place in Nizhyn on 21 March. 18 participants: pupils and teachers of the school № 5, representatives of the city Water and Sanitation unit, Nizhyn Interregional Water Management Authority, “MAMA-86-Nizhyn” and residents of the streets Myrna and Esipenko, took part in the action.

Previous well monitoring that was done by school pupils found 2 wells that were out of order and polluted. To attract the attention of the public and authorities to the problem of contaminated wells that have no owner and are potential sources of pollution of aquifers, students and teachers invited experts and representatives of public organizations to examine drinking water sources and take appropriate decisions on their future.

During the action 3 wells were examined for technical-sanitary condition, and the wells water quality. Local residents that live next to polluted well on Myrna street 12 were also interviewed. It turned out that the well is not used. The well is filled by the household waste. Residents are not against well tamping and gave written consent to this. Inspection of the second well, located at Esipenko 5 showed that it needs repairs.Residents asked for help in its reconstruction and are willing to participate in its repair.

It was decided by the action participants to send a letter to the city SES on the results of the wells inspection and request further study and solution of identified abandoned wells.

“MAMA-86-Nizhyn” appealed also to the str. Kosmodemyanskoyi dwellers with the initiative to make cosmetic repairs of the well, which was renovated in 2003 in the framework of MAMA-86’s project “Technical solutions for improving access to drinking water” with the support of fund-Novib-Oxfam, Netherlands. During the action express analysis of the nitrate contamination were made. Residents painted upper wooden part of the well.

80 pupils from school №5, their parents, teachers and residents of streets Bobrytska, Esipenko, Chernyahovskogo, Myrna, Karnaukhova of Nizhyn city took part in the actions.

Yaremche

World Water Day actions took place from 10—20 March.

For educational campaign information materials were prepared: bulletin “Water Day — 2009” (100 copies) and article “World Water Day — 2009” in the newspaper “Carpathian National” (500 copies).

These materials were distributed in local schools and authorities. On 16—19 March, “MAMA-86-Yaremche” held training-seminars on topics of water day in 5 schools in 4 villages (Yaremche Mykulichin, Vorokhta and Tatariv) of Yaremchanskii rayon.

These events were attended by 450 pupils and 40 teachers and 9 representatives of “MAMA-86-Yaremche”. A competition of children’s compositions “Why my river is sick” for schools of Yaremchanskij City Department of Education was held. 4 pupils’ works selected as winners. The jury received 17 works, all participants were awarded by certificates. The best essays were used for newspaper “Carpathian National”.

Poltava

Water Activities Day were held during spring break from 1 to 9 April and included a number of competitions of drawings and essays on water, the express tests of nitrates in the wells water, a school solemn assembly “Water in our lives” in two rural schools in the villages Gozhuly and Machuhy in Poltava region. 50 best works were selected and they will be forwarded to the all Ukrainian completion “Rivers unite people”.

More than 300 pupils, 15 teachers and 50 parents of pupils of 3—7 grades of Gozhuly educational centre and school in village Machuhy took part in these actions.

Feodosia

On the eve of the International Water Day — March 19, 2009 “MAMA-86-Feodosia” organized a seminar-tour “Clean water for all” in Feodosia museum. The event was attended by 23 pupils of grade 6 of secondary school № 2, by teachers T. Ogiyeva and L.M. Kareva, activists of environmental NGOs of Feodosia. Senior researcher of the museum Elena Skorobohata told children about a history of water supply and Feodosia forester F.I. Zibolt that built first in the world condenser to solve the eternal drinking water supply problem of Feodosia city. From Larisa Perm tour members learned a lot about Feodosia fountains, including the famous fountain Aivazovsky. Irina Hanina correspondent of “Big Feodosia” took part in the tour. Her article “Students learn about the history of water supply of Feodosia” was published in the newspaper № 14 of April 2, 2009 in the “top news”.

In March, pupils from the village Schebetivka under the supervision of Orlova G.P., Head of group “Eco tourism” of NGO “Intelligence” conducted an expedition to study the river Otuz. This expedition was a continuation of the river basin study began in 2008. 9 pupils and their supervisor were involved in the expedition.

Children collected significant information about river basin during the preparation to the expedition and learned that the river Baybuha originates at the top of the ridge of the Crimean Mountains. The river source is situated near the village Klyuchove Ak Melez in the past). The length of the river is 20 km, water catchment area is 111 km2. Baybuha flows to the Black Sea through the St. Elias cape, through the city Feodosia and falls into the Feodosia Bay. Children also found that river water monitoring was conducted only for 1946. They learned about the history of mineral water springs at the foot of the hill Pasha-Tepe, which were opened in 1904. Currently, these springs are plumbed. During the expedition the children found many sources of pollution — outlets of sewage and household wastewater discharges, cases of washing cars in river. Children have made photographs of these cases. Four sources of wastewater discharging were found on the territory of military base, one of which looked like oil discharge mixture (photo).

Members of expedition have submitted collected information to the Administration of Feodosia. There are some consequences of this long lasting work already. Thus the inhabitants of the right bank of Baybuha river have decided to build a sewer system with common funds. As the press secretary of Feodosia Administration Anna Trofimova said, the City Council will conduct repair work of the road after sewer construction. Report “Near Baybuhy sewer will be built” was published in the newspaper “Kafa” on 8—9 April 2009 № 41.

It became a tradition to have an action for the improvement of the fountain “Delfinchyk” and prepare it for the season 2009 in the eve of World Water Day. 15 participants took part in the action: pupils, activists of “MAMA-86-Feodosia”. Pupils of №13 school cleaned the area around the fountain, flowerbeds, painted benches and “Delfinchyk”, which shined of gold under the spring sun. Children prepared the fountain for the “Festival of clean water” which took place in April.

During the Water day 2009 “MAMA-86-Feodosia” distributed a special newsletter dedicated to the subject of transboundary water and local water problems. 200 copies of newsletter were distributed.

64 participants took part in different actions in Feodosia. Information about World Water day was circulated through the newsletter and the media. They published articles in newspapers “Victory” and “Big Feodosia”, with the appropriate circulation of 3500 and 1750 copies.

Nova Kahovka

An expedition in order to monitor the sanitary state of Dnipro river and North-Crimean channel was conducted on the territory of Nova-Kahovka City Council in early March. Representatives of “MAMA-86-Kahovka”, Nova-Kahovka rayon water management authorities, journalists of local newspaper “Business news” took part in the expedition. Tests for the nitrate content in the water were conducted at 7 sampling points.

Deviations from norm on nitrates content were not detected. The situation with the preparation of the North-Crimean channel to the water passing was also studied. It was found out during the expedition that the sanitary protective zone of the channel is polluted by rubbish, the bottom of the channel was not cleared, works on the bank protection were not done, and the coastal areas are destroyed because of the unauthorized taking away of sand and clay. All these facts were reflected in the newspaper “Business News” № 11 from 18.03.09.

4 meetings with university, college and school students on the subject of water resources protection and access to drinking water of good quality (Korsun secondary schools, agricultural colleges, the University of “Ukraine”) were held. 280 students and pupils learned about the state of water provision and wastewater collection in Nova Kahovka.

There was a tour for students of agricultural college on water and sewerage facilities of the city. Students learned about work of treatment facilities and received a lot of useful information on conservation and protection of water resources.

Pupils from Korsun school held a competition for the best card on the Day of Water. They also organized the monitoring of river and actions to clear the banks of the river Kamyanyha. Results of monitoring and study of rivers were sent by students to the authorities of the village in order to take actions.

Mykolaiv

A scientific conference on environmental problems of river Southern Bug was held on 21 March for the students of biological faculty of Mykolaiv State University. The conference was attended by second-year students of biological faculty, specialty “Ecology”, teachers of the faculty, representatives of Mykolaiv oblast environmental library, doctor of the oblast SES. Librarians organized an exhibition of environmental literature for this event. The main topics discussed at the conference were:

• Southern Bug — old communication path. From Varangians to Greeks.
• Impact of household garbage on the river.
• Dams, and all that connected to them.
• Impact of algae blooming, stagnation of water on water horizon of south of Ukraine.
• Cross-border water and all relative to the matter implications.

Students made their reports. SES doctor told about the local situation with water resources, the quality and quantity of drinking water etc., Mykolaiv library staff presented new environmental literature in the Library, and that in turn help students in choosing materials for study.

After the conference, members of “MAMA-86-Mykolaiv” and students visited the photo-exhibition about Southern Bug in Mykolayiv city administration. Photographs of unique natural waters along the part of the Southern Bug River, which is partially or completely flooded by Tashlykskoy Hydro and South Ukrainian NPP were presented at the exhibition.

On 22 March 27 environmental activists, young people, took part in the action of cleaning the coast in the estuary area of the Korabel rayon in Mykolaiv city. Students of Mykolaiv secondary school №10 cleared out about 10 kilometers of coastal zone and collected a lorry of garbage. All participants were in good spirit and enjoyed the results of the work done. The children hope that during summer they would come to the estuary to bathing.

Sevastopol

Water Day actions were held on 18—28 March.

30 pupils of 10th grade of № 8 Sevastopol school took part in expedition to study the river Chernaya. During the expedition sources of pollution (industrial, agricultural, etc.) were identified and marked on a map. Young people also collected garbage along the river banks.

15 children aged 7—13 from a micro district “Unity” met on 22 March with researches of the Institute of Biology of Southern Seas and learned about Black Sea environment and ecology. Kids also visited aquarium and its exhibition.

There was a festival devoted to the prudent use of clean water and on hygiene rules on 23 March in Sevastopol kindergarten № 32. 20 children of younger group took part in the festival.

Kyiv

World Water day actions in Kiev took place from 18—30 March and on 14 April. Besides running the film “Water — the basis of life” on regional television channels, it was also shown during the lectures on World Water Day for the pupils of school № 38, Lyceum “Krok”, Kyiv’ Svyatoshyn center of out-of-school work, school №110.

More than 360 children and teachers participated in these activities and received information on transboundary rivers and their problems, the Water Convention and the Protocol on Water and Health. During the meetings information about the contest “Rivers unite people” was distributed. 15 children from Kyiv’ Svyatoshyn center of out-of-school work visited Museum of Water in Kiev.

Representatives of NGO “MAMA-86” participated in the seminar on World Water Day that was organized by State Committee of Water Resources of Ukraine on 19 March. Tsvietkova Anna made a presentation on sources of nitrate contamination of drinking water in Ukraine and presented a publication “Nitrate pollution of sources of drinking water in Ukraine: research of NGO “MAMA-86” in 2001—2008 years”. More than 30 representatives of the State Committee of Water Resources, river basin managing departments, researches and business have received copies of publications and information materials.

Representatives of NGO “MAMA-86” took part in the World Water day actions that took place in the Water Information Center in Kyiv on 22 March where the start of All Ukrainian contest of creative works (drawings and essays) on water issues “Rivers unite people” for children was launched.