TRENDS AND PRIORITIES IN WATER USE IN THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

Abstract

Based on the water management statistics of the state water cadaster, the results of a study of the water use for the period 2000–2019 are presented. Research level covered the country as a whole, regions and administrative districts. The study is based on statistical methods for analyzing time-series and relative indicators of the dynamics of water use. The tendencies and priorities in water use in the administrative-territorial units of the Republic of Belarus are revealed on the basis of a comparative analysis presented in relative terms of indicators: total water abstraction, volume of groundwater extraction and withdrawal of surface water, the amount of water for water use purposes. For the period 2000–2019 downward trends in total water abstraction and water use have been established. The reduction in water abstraction was 28 %, and the use of water for domestic and drinking and industrial purposes decreased by more than 30 %. The largest decrease in water abstraction (from 30 to 40 %) occurred in the Gomel, Mogilev and Vitebsk regions. In the structure of water use among the regions, with the exception of the Brest region, domestic and drinking purposes prevail, which account for up to 33–54 % of water from the total volume of use. A comparative assessment at the level of administrative districts revealed that in most of them (in 102 out of 118 districts), groundwater is the main natural source of water supply. Groundwater abstraction exceeds surface water abstraction. In 36 districts, water supply is provided entirely from groundwater. The administrative districts were grouped according to the priority purposes of water use. It has been established that in 78 districts the priority is simultaneously two purposes of water use, as a rule, domestic and drinking and agricultural purposes, provided by groundwater. Differentiation of water intake volumes and water use priorities at the district level is determined by the population, the degree of development of the production industries, and their purposes of water. A unified record of displaying water use indicators at the level of administrative districts is proposed.