Within just one hour at a free water access point in the village of Visynsk in Mykolaiv oblast, dozens of people arrive, one after another. Some come with large containers, others with a single bottle, and some arrive early prepared with stacks of empty jerrycans. They all come for the same reason: access to safe drinking water – something that has never been guaranteed in this community.
“I come every three days and collect about 20 bottles for the week. We only drink this water. We do have water at home, but it’s poorly filtered tap water – you can’t drink it,”says Volodymyr, as he loads eight five‑litre bottles into his cart.
For decades, Visynsk has relied on technical groundwater that is unsuitable for drinking. Residents have long used it out of necessity, but recent conditions have made this situation even more difficult.
“People used to collect rainwater, but now even that is not safe. After the rain, everything is covered in dust and pollution,” explains Viktor, a land surveyor. “This water point is very popular. It works every day – both on weekdays and weekends.”
The lack of drinking water is not just an inconvenience – it is a daily challenge that affects health, finances, and dignity. According to Serhii Kryvoshei, the head of the village, safe water simply does not exist locally.
“There is no drinking water here at all. The water from our wells is technical and cannot be used for cooking or drinking according to laboratory tests,”says Serhii Kryvoshei.
Before this intervention, the only alternative was to buy water at high prices, placing a heavy burden on already vulnerable households.
“Nine litres cost around 76 hryvnias (1.7$). For pensioners, that’s expensive. People had no choice” Serhii adds.
The free water access point in Visynsk is powered by a mobile unit – a Sun Wagon – implemented by the NGO “Youth of Ukraine” in partnership with DanChurchAid and Norwegian Church Aid in Ukraine, with financial support from Den A.P. Møllerske Støttefond (The A.P. Moller Relief Foundation) and the European Union.
The Sun Wagons are fully autonomous mobile water purification systems equipped with solar panels, a generator for back-up, and reverse osmosis technology. They do not rely on connection to electrical grids and can, hence, operate independently even in areas with damaged infrastructure or unstable power supply. Currently, the units are operational at three locations – Mykolaivelectrotrans in the city of Mykolaiv, Zaychivske village, and Visynsk village.
In total, 11 such units are being installed across affected communities in Mykolaiv oblast and Kherson oblast. In the coming months, installation of an additional 8 units is planned, including at locations in Kherson oblast, further expanding access to safe drinking water for vulnerable communities.
For residents, the impact is immediate and tangible.
“I used to buy water every day. One bottle would cost 20 to 30 hryvnias. If you need to cook, you need up to 50 litres per day – it was simply too much,”says Iryna, who now comes to the water point daily.
Even here, life is shaped by the proximity of the front line. The village is not far from active combat zones. The sound of war is never fully absent. Drones fly overhead regularly, and explosions can still be heard at night.
Nearby, Dominika is filling bottles for her five‑year‑old son.
“It’s very loud. Drones fly almost every night. My son is very scared – whenever he hears explosions, he immediately runs to hide,” she says quietly.
“The water from the tap is rusty and unsafe. We take this water so my child has something clean to drink. I try to collect water every time we go to kindergarten”,explains Dominika
Like many others, she has already been displaced once. “We lived in Kherson before. It was much more dangerous there. Here it is a bit calmer… but we still want to go home.”
The water point serves not only Visynsk, but also neighbouring communities. Some residents travel several kilometres just to access clean water. The steady flow of people – elderly residents, families with children – demonstrates how critical this service has become.
Despite the ongoing security risks and the constant presence of war, something essential happens here every day. People gather, wait, talk – and fill their containers.
About the project:
The mobile water stations operating in Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts are part of a broader intervention implemented by the NGO “Youth of Ukraine” in partnership with DanChurchAid and Norwegian Church Aid in Ukraine, with financial support from Den A.P. Møllerske Støttefond (The A.P. Moller Relief Foundation), the European Union and Danida.
The Sun Wagons are fully autonomous mobile water purification systems equipped with solar panels, a backup generator, and reverse osmosis technology. They do not rely on connection to electrical grids and can therefore operate independently in areas affected by damaged infrastructure, power outages, or limited access to safe drinking water.
Currently, the units provide communities in Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts with reliable access to clean drinking water, helping strengthen local resilience and ensure uninterrupted water supply during emergencies.