Hot and cold water supplies in Kurkijoki – a Russian town in Karelia in the Lakhdienpokh region – were cut off on May 24. Local authorities are calling it a “temporary inconvenience.” However, this is a serious problem for residents – the only source of water they have are wells and tankers supplying water – and not to all streets.
Mothers living there are afraid that their children will contract various infections due to hygiene problems caused by water shortages. Regional officials propose to wait for a thorough renovation, but this is not expected to start until 2027 – according to the most optimistic scenario. Residents do not know how to survive until then.
Local authorities cannot solve the problem. The Karelian parliament has refused to address the problem of Kurkijoka, which has had a water shortage for three weeks due to a pipeline failure. A member of parliament from the Yabloko party, Emilia Słabunowa, tried to include this issue on the parliament's agenda, but MPs from the United Russia party – Vladimir Putin's group – blocked talks on this topic.
– Instead [podjęcia] normal discussion on this topic, the meeting was interrupted several times, and then, in a patronizing tone, it was announced that local authorities were responsible for water supply, says the MP. He adds that the Deputy Prime Minister for Infrastructure was present in the meeting room and “was ready to submit a report.”
In the meantime – as Słabunowa notes – outraged inhabitants of the settlement complain that there is still no water, and in the local clinic it only appeared in a thin stream on the ground floor for a few minutes. — I'm confused myself – what to call it all?! – he asks.
She says she has sent inquiries on this matter to the prosecutor's office, Rospotrebnadzor (Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-being), the government of Karelia and the State Housing Supervision Committee. According to information from residents, the prosecutor's office has already arrived in the town.
The administration of Lahdenpohja district (an administrative area in the southwestern part of the Republic of Karelia) openly calls the situation “difficult”, explaining this by the historical construction of the water supply system in the town. Officials said the water comes from a higher lake, which poses a risk of supply problems if water levels fluctuate or weather is unfavorable, especially in summer. They added that air jams were forming in the pipes and the worn-out network required thorough renovation.
— First, provide people with water, and then tell us how this situation came about when we were unable to provide water in time. — this is how Svetlana, a resident of Karelia, responds to the officials' announcement. — You only dealt with it when everything collapsed and people started screaming and telling everyone about the disaster. Tell me where the money that residents paid in bills went.
“We just don't care about anyone”
About a thousand people live in Kurkijoki. The lack of water, both hot and cold, which has been going on for three weeks, threatens sanitary safety. People have been complaining about this for two weeks, but to no avail.
According to officials, these are only “temporary inconveniences.” But the problem is what it was. Tankers remain the only source of water for residents.
— We turned everywhere, but we got no help from anywhere, says Tatiana, a resident of Kurkijoki (name changed for security reasons). — It's hard, very hard. I am the mother of a large family, with small children it is very difficult without water. Difficult to wash dishes. You can't even go to the toilet because there is no water in the toilet. This is just ridiculous! “I feel like we just don't care about anyone,” he complains. According to Tatiana, the same situation happens every summer.
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Another interviewee of Novaya Gazeta, Olga (her name has also been changed for security reasons), says that residents draw water from wells, then boil it and use it for household purposes. — It's very difficult to wash children this way, and I have three of them. We go to the well for water. I do laundry with relatives in another town. Otherwise, we boil water in a kettle and wash ourselves with it, he says.
He adds that due to water supply problems, the school canceled a children's camp and the local clinic cannot fully accept patients. Water is supplied, but not to all streets, and it is not very clean. Tatiana agrees. In her opinion, such water supplies do not solve the problem. – They are carrying out some repairs to the network, but it does not bring any results – he says.
People complain about the lack of hygiene, fearing that it will cause their children to suffer from dysentery or intestinal infections. Some people wash themselves in the street with rainwater.
Repairs will be made – at least in a year
The cause of a serious water main failure is simple – old pipes cannot withstand the pressure and air bubbles block the water flow. Employees of the local Wodokanal (a company dealing with water supply and sewage) are urgently sealing leaks, but this is a temporary measure.
Local authorities reported that the water pump station was turned off on June 9 in order to rebuild internal networks. According to officials, the old pipes have been replaced with modern ones, which should improve capacity and partially solve the long-standing problem.
“The causes of water problems are generally understandable. Specific actions have been taken. (…) However, the problem must be solved radically by replacing 2 km of pipes” – this is how the head of the Republic of Karelia, Artur Parfenchikov, commented on the problem in the local chat in the WKontakte application.
On June 12, the Minister of Construction of Karelia, Alexander Menshikov, arrived at the settlement. He promised that “the pressure in the system will normalize within two or three days.” He added that specialists checked the condition of water wells and replaced 15 m of the water supply network. “The wells are cleared now, there are no leaks on the line. On Wednesday, June 10, the water supply to the town was planned to be cut off, he said.
He once again shared his plans for the future and stated that the ministry plans to include the town in the municipal infrastructure modernization program, but only for the years 2027–2028 – this means that renovation works will start only in a year at best.
“If we survive until then.” This is not known, says Tatiana.
“There is no water during the day, only a few drops in the morning and evening! If the situation continues until winter, will we also wait for renovation until 2027–2028, or will we melt the snow?” – asks another resident of Kurkijoki, Nadezhda, in a local chat.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
