Baku, July 17, AZERTAC The rapid decrease of the water level in the Dniester River has prompted the Environment Ministry to start talks with the Ukrainian authorities, in order to assess the risks to the water supply of the Chisinau municipality, according to Moldpres. Acting Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder has said that the situation was being monitored and that today discussions are being held with the Ukrainian side on this topic.The Environment Ministry received an official letter from the Ukrainian authorities, indicating an accelerated drop in the water level in the Novodnestrovsk reservoir on the summer period.“In the context of the official letter received from the Ukrainian authorities regarding the accelerated decrease of the water level in the Novodnestrovsk reservoir during the summer, as well as the fact that the water intake pump for the Chisinau municipality is fixed and cannot adapt to variations in the water level, residents have the right to know whether the municipality is prepared to cope with a potential water supply crisis,” said Gheorghe Hajder.In the context, the interim environment minister requested that the mayor of the Moldovan capital, Ion Ceban, publicly inform the residents of the municipality about the condition of alternative water supply sources, including artesian wells, and about the level of preparedness in the event of a possible crisis.“I ask mayor Ion Ceban to publicly inform the residents of the Chisinau municipality about the condition of the artesian wells and other alternative water supply sources,” said Gheorghe Hajder.The environment minister specified that discussions with the Ukrainian side on this subject were being held during the day today and the conclusions and any possible measures would be communicated later.