Fines for “water” are set to increase 40-fold: how this will affect owners of private wells
20 June 18:12
Ukraine plans to increase fines by 40 times for illegal well drilling, unauthorized water withdrawal, and violations of water metering regulations. The government intends to introduce stricter control measures due to the risks of water body depletion and water supply problems in the regions. However, for most citizens, the new measures will not create additional difficulties—ordinary household wells on private properties are not subject to licensing or new fees. This is reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", citing Oboz.UA.
The bill in question is government-sponsored draft law No. 15096, “On Amendments to the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses Aimed at Strengthening Accountability in the Sphere of Water Conservation, Rational Use, and Restoration of Water Resources.” An alternative bill, No. 15096-1, has also been registered in the Verkhovna Rada.
Is this a done deal? No . As of June 19, 2026, neither of these documents has even passed its first reading. So for now, these are merely government proposals.
What You Need to Know About Fines
- A significant increase in fines is being proposed . For unauthorized water use, water abstraction without permits, or illegal well drilling, the proposed penalty ranges from 3,400 to 5,100 UAH. This is 37.5 to 40 times higher than the current fines of 85 to 136 UAH.
- The draft lawsspecify new types of violations. In particular, they introduce administrative liability for submitting inaccurate data during state water accounting, failing to comply with special water use limits, and damaging riverbeds during construction work.
- The status of domestic wells is set to change. The bill’s provisions distinguish between industrial and domestic use of water resources. If the bill is adopted, the use of groundwater for the personal needs of private households will not be classified as special water use, so no additional permits will be required for ordinary wells.
Water Use Regulations: Proposals from the Cabinet of Ministers
The draft law provides for a systematic review of penalties for violations of water legislation. The government identifies several key areas where enforcement will be significantly strengthened:
- Illegal drilling of wells and water extraction
This refers to the drilling of new wells for the extraction of groundwater without the appropriate permits or approval from the relevant authorities. Such violations will be punishable by maximum fines. This also applies to the use of rivers and other natural water bodies for industrial or agricultural purposes without official authorization.
- Violations of resource accounting
Administrative liability is imposed for providing inaccurate data during state water accounting and for failing to comply with the limits established in permits for special water use.
- Interference with hydrological features
Separate penalties will be imposed for unauthorized alteration or destruction of natural riverbeds. This may occur during construction work.
The main reason for these measures is that current fines have lost any deterrent effect. As the explanatory note states, the meager fines have resulted in the state having virtually no control over actual consumption volumes, especially when it comes to large industrial facilities engaged in illegal water abstraction and the agricultural sector.
Due to the uncontrolled use of groundwater and surface water, water supply problems are worsening in some regions, and natural water bodies are being depleted. Therefore, if the bill is adopted, inspections will become stricter, and regulatory authorities will pay particular attention to enterprises that use large volumes of resources without official documentation.
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