Claims that Ukraine is 100% ready for the heating season are not true.
This was stated by Oleg Popenko, head of the Union of Consumers of Communal Services of Ukraine, on Yuriy Romanenko's YouTube channel. According to him, the situation with the infrastructure is so critical that government bodies are unable to update the networks to ensure a smooth winter period.
One of the main challenges is the aging heating networks, most of which have already reached the end of their service life. Before the onset of the full-scale war, Ukraine had about 18,000 kilometers of heating networks, of which 14,500 km required immediate replacement. However, even considering the costs of upgrades, the country replaces only 250-300 km of pipes per year, which means that a complete overhaul of the heating networks will take at least 47 years. Moreover, these new pipes, made of polymers, have a lifespan of around 50 years, meaning that by the time all networks are updated, some will already need replacement again.
In addition to the issues with heating networks, there are significant difficulties in the water supply systems as well.
"About 85-90% of water supply networks are unsuitable for use. The problem exists everywhere - in Kyiv and other cities across the country. There too, serious challenges persist as pipes are not being replaced," Popenko noted.
The equipment of the water supply systems, which has been in operation for over 30 years, is losing its efficiency. Water losses in the old networks amount to 40-50%. Popenko emphasized that this not only leads to numerous emergencies but also increases the costs of maintaining the system. He cited the situation in Zhytomyr and Poltava, where an entire city was left without water due to problems with the central collectors.
Another critical issue is the condition of the housing stock. As of 2022, there were about 180,000 apartment buildings in Ukraine, of which 120,000 require complete modernization. At the current pace (5-7 buildings per year), it will take more than 17,000 years to update the housing stock.