OREANDA-NEWS. The water found in the Azov Sea can be used as drinking water after treatment, says the presentation published by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin on the results of the construction and utilities sectors in 2021.

The presentation notes that the water is low-mineralized and technical, that is, it can be used for irrigation, heating and cooling systems.

"With the necessary water treatment, the water can be used as potable water," the document says. The work to find potable water for Crimea continues.

The first samples of water from the bottom of the Sea of Azov were extracted in the summer of 2021. In November, the deputy prime minister said that based on the results of the first samples, the water found could be potable, but the final results of the examination will be known in 2022. 

Water supply problems began in Crimea after it joined Russia in 2014. Ukraine blocked the flow of water from Kherson Oblast, which was supplied to the peninsula via the North Crimean Canal.

In 2020, a drought in the region caused the rivers feeding the reservoirs to become shallow. In response, the Russian government drafted a comprehensive plan to ensure a reliable water supply for Crimea and Sevastopol. As part of the project, waters in the Sea of Azov were explored. Drilling began in April 2021.