World Water Day

The 2026 World Water Day will be celebrated on March 22 under the auspices of the UN, focusing on the role of water and sanitation in achieving gender equality. The main theme is the necessity of including women and girls in decision-making processes related to water resource management to achieve a sustainable and equitable future.

Within the framework of World Water Day, the primary focus is on achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.

Do we have enough water?

The water resource potential of the Vitebsk region represents a large reserve of surface and groundwater. The region is crossed by 3 large rivers (Western Dvina, Dnieper, Berezina), 2 medium rivers (Viliya, Drut), and 616 small watercourses (including 129 streams), and 193 springs.

About one-fifth of the region's territory in the southeast belongs to the Dnieper River basin, and 80% belongs to the Western Dvina River basin. A small territory of the Vitebsk region is located within the basins of the Neman and Lovat rivers.

Our region is also distinguished by the presence of a large number of lakes – 1360, with a total surface area of about 1 thousand sq. km.

56 deposits of fresh groundwater and 29 deposits of mineral groundwater have been explored.

The existing water resource potential of the Vitebsk region can be assessed as sufficient to meet current and future needs.

Nevertheless, it should be remembered that fresh water is a resource that is not limitless. Therefore, its conservation and rational use are among the most important tasks.

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