The impact of population dynamics on water use in the Lviv region

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the impact of population dynamics on water use in the Lviv region. The relevance of the topic is substantiated. The state of water use studies of geographical research are characterized. The volume of water resources of the Lviv region and their structure are indicated. The dynamics of water intake in the region are presented. The structure of water use in the Lviv region during 1991–2023 is analyzed. A conclusion was drawn about the transformation of the structure at the end of the specified period, compared to its beginning. If at the beginning of the period most water was used for domestic and drinking needs, and then for production and agricultural needs, then at the end of the period most water was used for the same domestic and drinking needs, but agricultural needs came in second place, and production needs came in third. This redistribution occurred due to changes in the sectoral structure of the economy.

The largest consumers of groundwater in the Lviv region are the following enterprises: LMK “Lvivvodokanal”, KP “Drohobychvodokanal”, KP “Chervonohradvodokanal”.  The largest amount of surface water is used by the following enterprises: PrJSC “Lviv Regional Fish Farm”, SE “Research Farm of the Lviv Research Station of the Institute of Fisheries of the NAAS of Ukraine”. The problems of water use in the Lviv region include the unsatisfactory condition of surface sources of domestic and drinking water supply, outdated technologies, and deterioration of the quality of water supply networks. In recent years, there has been a trend towards increasing the use of surface water and decreasing the use groundwater. One of the main causes of surface water pollution in the Lviv region is the discharge of untreated and insufficiently treated wastewater. By river basins of Lviv region, the largest amount of wastewater was discharged into surface water bodies of the Western Bug River basin (78,5 %), less — into the Dniester River basin (18,9 %), the Sian River basin (1,6 %) and the Styr River basin (1,0 %).

Population change affects water use, although it is not the only factor that determines water resources. In 1991–early 2020, the dynamics of population and fresh water consumption in the Lviv region demonstrate very similar downward trends. Since 2021, fresh water consumption in the region has been increasing. The population has also been increasing since 2023. A decrease in population can reduce water consumption, while an increase in population can increase water consumption. But this is not a direct relationship. The impact of population changes on water consumption also depends on total water consumption, water consumption per person, and changes in the structure of economic activity. Improvement of the water and ecological situation in the Lviv region can be achieved by introducing water–saving technologies, improving the technical condition of existing treatment facilities, increasing the role of environmental education of the population and, of course, the victorious conclusion of the russian–Ukrainian war.