Popenko names cities with a critical situation in the housing and utilities sector: where heating and water are worst.

Heating problems in large cities of Ukraine

Several large cities in Ukraine are facing problems during the heating season due to insufficient preparation and the consequences of shelling.

Housing and utilities expert Oleg Popenko discovered that the most difficult situation is in Sumy, where the city water utility has stopped functioning due to problems with electricity supply and debts. The city, with a population of 200,000, suffers from a lack of electricity, water, and heat. Backup power sources are critically insufficient for the operation of the water supply and sewage systems.

In Kryvyi Rih, the situation is no better; the heating season has not yet begun for the city with a population of 600,000. The idea of starting heating in December depends on the availability of funds for repairing pipes. There are also problems with leaking pipes in the city, and residents are suffering from this.

In Svitlovodsk, heating issues have become persistent; the city receives heat only in mid-December. This is a problem that the city has faced for six consecutive years.

TOMAKIVKA also has serious problems with water supply; the city has been living without water for two months due to the construction of a new water pipeline for other cities.

Kryvyi Rih has not had hot water for 15 years, and Zaporizhzhia also abandoned hot water supply two years ago.

A positive example is Kremenchuk, which has systematically been reconstructing municipal infrastructure for 15 years. As a result, the city does not have problems with water and heat.

The main problem lies in the absence of a systematic approach to preparing urban infrastructure for the heating season. More funds need to be allocated for housing and utilities to ensure high-quality utilities for residents.