Data Visualization
More information
Data sources:
Water abstraction, in territorial aspect provided by Statistical Databank of the National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova
Water abstraction provided by the Agency Apele Moldovei
Note: Data in excel table was provided by the Agency Apele Moldovei to the European Environment Agency under the ENI SEIS II East Project.
Despite high uncertainties around the estimate of renewable water resources in Moldova, the rough estimate of the annual renewable freshwater resources is around 6 500 million m3, of which 725 million m3 of water is abstracted annually to meet the water demand of economic sectors. Total freshwater abstraction in 2017 (713 million m3) was slightly below the annual average.
The country abstracts 85 % of its annual water needs from surface waters, especially from the Dniester river. The Dniester basin is also a very important source of groundwater abstraction. Around 84 % of total water abstraction from groundwater occurs from that basin. However, it should be noted that, because an adequate monitoring programme is not in place, particularly for self-abstraction, this figure has high uncertainty. It is expected that the annual total water abstraction, particularly from groundwater resources, would be much higher.
There is a high variation in the level of water abstraction between 1990 and 2000. This may be explained by the impact of the transition period during which the country changed its land management and tenure system. Between 1990 and 2000, there was a decrease of almost 75 % in annual water abstraction. However, there are a number of projects running that are investing in improving the water transport system in the country, which should contribute to this substantial decrease in water abstraction over time. Nevertheless, since 2000, annual water abstraction has been showing quite a steady trend.