East SOS Begins Drilling Wells and Building Safety Centers in Kharkiv Oblast

This spring, the East SOS reconstruction team launched a number of infrastructure repair projects in Kharkiv Oblast, including drilling a well in the village of Khroly, Kharkiv Raion. Exploratory drilling is currently underway to measure the depth of the aquifer. Specialists are also conducting geophysical surveys and water tests as part of the preparations to set up the well. This work could not be carried out during the winter due to necessary temperature conditions.

Nearly 2,200 people live in Khroly, with approximately 600 being displaced from frontline areas.

“In many communities, especially in rural areas, access to drinking water that meets quality standards remains a pressing issue. When water doesn’t meet sanitary and chemical requirements, it becomes unsafe for consumption and poses risks to public health. Therefore, ensuring access to safe drinking water that meets the required quality standards is a critically important task for communities. In particular, elevated chlorine levels have been recorded in the water supply in the village of Khroly,” said Oleksandr Shmanov, Infrastructure Manager for the Reconstruction Program at East SOS.

Meanwhile, the construction of community safety centers is underway in Levkivka and Spivakivka in Izium Raion. Once completed, these centers will serve as duty stations for local fire and rescue teams. This will make it possible to respond quickly to emergencies within the community, including those caused by russian shelling, as well as to deal with the aftermath of building collapses and fires.

Both settlements are located in a forested area, which increases the risk of wildfires. In addition, the road in Spivakivka is in poor condition, making it difficult for emergency teams to reach the village quickly from the nearest administrative center.

The well drilling is being carried out as part of the project “Comprehensive Assistance to Vulnerable Population Groups in the Most Affected Areas of Kharkiv Region,” implemented with financial support from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF).

The construction of the safety centers is being carried out as part of the project “Comprehensive Humanitarian Assistance to Conflict-Affected Ukrainians and Third-Country Nationals in Ukraine, Poland, Romania, and Moldova,” with the support of Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe and funding from the German Federal Foreign Office.

For reference, last year the East SOS team equipped a technical water well in the settlement of Oleksandrivka in Donetsk Region.