In order to ensure the protection of water bodies in the areas of water intake for the centralized water supply of the population, medical and health needs, sanitary protection zones (SPZ) are established.
The legal regime within the SPZ is determined by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine №2024 of 11.12.98 in accordance with Article 93 of the Water Code of Ukraine № 214/95-VR of 06.06.95.
The boundaries of the SPZ (sanitary protection zones) of water bodies are set by local governments in their territory in coordination with state bodies of land resources, sanitary and epidemiological surveillance, environmental protection, water management and geology. In case of ZSO location on the territories of two or more oblasts, their boundaries are established by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine at the proposal of the Ministry of Regional Development and with the consent of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Energy, State Geo-inventory, State Water Agency, State Geo subsoil and relevant local governments. All water intakes must have equipment for systematic control of compliance of the actual water supply with the design capacity of the water intake and permits for special water use.
The main purpose of sanitary protection zones is to protect the water supply source from pollution. They are organized in 3 zones:
- the first zone (strict regime zone), which includes the territory of water intake structures, sites of all water supply structures and water supply channel;
- the second and third zones (restriction and observation zones), which include the territory intended for protection of water supply sources from pollution, in particular, the second zone is a restricted zone, covering the territory within which bacterial contamination of groundwater can be carried out, the third zone – observation zone in the territory within which chemical pollution of groundwater may occur.
For water supply facilities located outside the second zone of the SPZ, water supply sources, as well as for sanitary protection of water mains, provide sanitary protection strips.
In each of the three zones of the SPZ, as well as within the sanitary protection zone, in accordance with their purpose, a special regime should be established and a set of measures aimed at preventing the deterioration of water quality should be determined.
The development of the project of sanitary protection zones is carried out on the basis of the current State construction norms of Ukraine (DBN B.2.5-74: 2013 Water supply. External networks and structures.).
The project of sanitary protection zones envisages a set of measures aimed at protection against pollution of the entire aquifer supply area. However, the priority and strictest set of protection measures is needed directly in the areas of groundwater use for drinking water supply, as pollution near the water intake can quickly affect the quality of water taken, disrupt water supply conditions and cause other undesirable consequences. Due to this, a sanitary protection zone is created around the water intake, in which special measures are taken to exclude the possibility of pollution entering the water intake and the aquifer in the water intake area.
According to DBN (State construction norms) V.2.5-74: 2013, the boundaries of the first zone ZSPZ of underground water supply sources should be established from a single water intake structure (well, mine well, catchment, etc.), or from the extreme water intake structures located in the group, at a distance of:
- for protected aquifers – 30 m;
- for insufficiently protected – 50 m
For water intakes located on the territory of the site, where soil and groundwater pollution is impossible, as well as for water intakes located in favorable sanitary, topographic and hydrogeological conditions, the size of the first zone of the SPZ may be reduced, but they must be not less than 15 m and 25 m respectively.
Protected groundwater includes waters from pressurized and non-pressurized aquifers, which have a continuous waterproof roof within all zones of the zone, which excludes the possibility of local supply from the above insufficiently protected aquifers.
The boundary of the second zone of the ZPZ of the underground source of water supply should be determined by hydrodynamic calculations taking into account the time of microbial contamination.
The limit of the third zone of the ZPZ of the underground source of water supply is determined by the calculation when taking into account the time of chemical contamination of water to the water intake structure, which must be more than the accepted service life of the water intake structure, but not less than 25 years.
For existing water intakes, around which there is an unsustainable 1st zone SPZ, the project SPZ is developed specially.
The development of the project of sanitary protection zones is carried out by the engineering and hydrogeological department of our enterprise, which includes qualified hydrogeological engineers and a design engineer with many years of experience.