Water Use in the Economies of the Regions of the Lower Dnipro Sub-Basin Before and After the Destruction of the Kakhovka Reservoir

To fulfil the goal, the methodological approach to the economic analysis of regions belonging of the river sub-basin – the Lower Dnipro sub-basin, was refined so as to base on computing the economic indicators reflecting the level of economic development (gross value added and gross output), as well as on reviewing the key water-use values broken down. The economic analysis by the economic sector for the main water users, specifically for the industry (type-specific), agriculture, housing and communal services, before and after the demolition of the Kakhovka Reservoir was conducted. The economic analysis findings indicate that the economy of regions of the Lower Dnipro sub-basin experienced substantial losses in 2023 compared to 2021, particularly in water-dependent sectors such as extractive and manufacturing industries and agriculture. Surface water abstraction declined sharply in 2024 compared to 2021, primarily in the agricultural sector, energy production, and water supply services as the share of groundwater abstraction in the overall structure of water was increasing. A positive trend towards a reduction in the volumes of wastewater discharge and polluted wastewater discharge emerged in 2023 relative to 2021. Meanwhile, all the economic sectors of regions of the sub-basin, except for housing and communal services, increased the amount of polluted wastewater per unit of output. The article features an economic model developed for assessing water use by the economic sectors of the regions of the Lower Dnipro sub-basin that provides a framework for determining their socio-economic impacts and for breaking them by categories according to their water-use performance. Taking into account the results of the economic analysis of the sub-basin, in particular the indicators of gross value added and gross output by sector, combined with the results obtained on the basis of the developed economic model for assessing water use, provided a scientific basis for categorizing water-dependent sectors of the economy. The study identifies four groups of sectors based on their level of dependence on water resources and their socio-economic significance: sectors of complete dependence (housing and communal services and fisheries), sectors of multiple dependence (food processing industry, irrigated agriculture, and energy production), sectors of special dependence (iron and steel production, chemical industry, machinery manufacturing and metalworking), and sectors of moderate dependence (transport and selected recreational activities).