The daily quantity of public drinking-water supply is 849 000 m3.  The data on water use in the economy of the Republic shown in Table 8.1 indicate a general downward trend in different sectors of the national economy.

In 1994, about 1 585 million m3 of water abstracted from underground sources or received through central water-supply pipes were used in industry (this includes cooling water for the energy sector).  Water for topping up industrial recycling systems amounts to about 800 million m3 annually.

The main sources of drinking-water supply are the rivers Nistru and Prut, 600 springs, 6 600 artesian wells and 123 000 wells.  In the future, the Danube River will also be used for water supply in the southern districts of the country.  At present, water from the Nistru, Prut and Danube rivers does not meet drinking-water quality standards.  River water can be used for drinking-water supply only after intensive purification, using methods based on decantation, filtration, coagulation, adsorption, oxidation and disinfection.
The capacity of water-supply treatment plants to produce drinking water is 391 million m3 per year, of which 310 million m3/year are supplied in a centralized way.  The water is distributed through a network of aqueducts 4 081 km long.
The most noticeable environmental water issues related to agricultural practices concern irrigation and waste-water discharges.  In 1994, 310 000 ha of agricultural fields were irrigated.  In the north, where impermeable rock is found at a depth of up to 12 m, the rising water table contributes to salinization and alkalization.  In the south, water from small rivers is used for irrigation.  As it contains high levels of minerals and salts, it also causes salinization and alkalization.  Another frequent and detrimental consequence of irrigation is declaying and compaction of soil when there is no proper drainage.
However, it seems that in 1995 the surface of irrigated land was reduced to 170 000 ha, sprinkler irrigation being used on 48% of the total.
The use of heavily contaminated water for irrigation results in high levels of nitrogen compounds in groundwater.  A scientific report on the use of irrigation water was submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture in 1991, but has not been followed up.

Table 8.1:  Water management indices

 
Source:  Statistical Yearbook, 1994.