Petru BACAL*1
* Corresponding author
1 Academy of Economic Studies, Faculty of International Economic Relations, Chişinău, REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
E-mail: p_bacal@yahoo.com
Pages: 101-111. URL: https://geografie.ubbcluj.ro/ccau/jssp/arhiva_si3_2014/14JSSPSI032014.pdf
Cite: Bacal P. (2014), Geographical and Economic Aspects of Using Water Resources in the Dniester Basin (The sector of the Republic of Moldova). Journal of Settlements and Spatial Planning, Special Issue 3, 101-111. URL: https://geografie.ubbcluj.ro/ccau/jssp/arhiva_si3_2014/14JSSPSI032014.pdf
Abstract. The purpose of our research was to elucidate the spatial and economic aspects of water use in the Dniester basin. The main topics under analysis were the dynamics of captured and used water in the Dniester basin, the demand on water resources, issues on assessment and monitoring of used water, and cost and efficiency of water supply services. To achieve these objectives we used traditional methods of geographical and economic research, especially focusing on the methodology used in the elaboration of management plans of hydrographical basins and their subsections on the status of water resources and water bodies and on the economic analysis of water use. The Dniester Basin holds over 90% of water consumption, most of which is captured from surface sources and used by industrial enterprises on the left bank of Dniester River, especially by the Thermoelectric Plant in Dnestrovsk. On the right bank of Dniester there are several communal enterprises, specialized in agricultural and food industry, and in most of the localities water is captured from groundwater sources. Irrevocable losses exceed 40% of captured water, due to the poor state of the equipment. The actual payment of water tax is very low, which allowed for the increase of water consumption and irrational use. The taxes for water supply services are below the primary costs and of negative profitability in the case of the majority of water supply enterprises.
K e y w o r d s: water management, water supply, water demand, cost and efficiency