Water supply after accidents raises questions among residents of Dagestan

Water supply has been restored in Novy Khushet, Leninkent, and the Kemping microdistrict, residents reported. They said the tap water quality was poor after repairs, and the pressure was not sufficient for household needs in all settlements.

As reported by "Kavkazsky Uzel," a pipeline ruptured in Makhachkala on January 25, cutting off water supply from the Khushet treatment plant to the village of Novy Khushet, homes on Nasrutdinov Avenue, and the Kemping microdistrict. Residents complained that there has been no water for over a day, even though the deadlines promised by authorities to fix the problem have long since passed. The consequences of the water main break in Makhachkala have been repaired, and water supply has resumed, according to the water supply operator. Water didn't return to homes even a few hours after this announcement, commenters noted on January 27th.

The water started flowing on January 27th towards evening, Ibrahim, a resident of the village of Novy Khushet, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"We had to buy water for cooking at the store; there was no way to wash the children's clothes for school; we have two children," he said.

In the Kemping microdistrict, water returned after lunch on January 27th. It was dirty, and the supply returned to normal only a few hours later, says local resident Ibrahim. He noted that water shortages occur regularly in this neighborhood.

A representative of the Unified Operator told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the delay in water supply after the completion of emergency work in some locations could be due to the fact that time is needed to fill the water mains; it is not possible to immediately supply water at high pressure, as pipe bursts are possible.

On January 28 at 2:54 PM Moscow time, the Unified Operator in the water supply sector reported on its Telegram channel that emergency restoration work was being carried out on the Miatli-Makhachkala main water pipeline, located near the village of Gelbakh.

"Due to repair work, interruptions in water supply, a decrease in pressure, or its complete absence are possible in the following settlements: the village of Leninkent, the village of Zagorodny, and the village of Shamkhal-Termen. The estimated completion date for the work and restoration of water supply is by the morning of January 29," the statement said. Publications.

At 11:05 p.m. Moscow time, the Unified Operator reported that emergency recovery operations had been completed, commissioning was underway, and the process of filling the water supply system had begun. The water supply will be fully restored within approximately three to four hours.

On January 29, water appeared in a thin stream, Ali, a resident of the village of Leninkent, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

If the quality of the water in appearance, taste, and smell raises doubts, then a report is drawn up immediately, lawyer Ali Aliyev previously told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"In controversial cases or for official confirmation, a representative of the management company or a representative of Vodokanal are required, at their own expense, to take a sample and send it to an accredited laboratory. You can order an independent examination at your own expense if the management company or Vodokanal shirks its responsibilities. Subsequently, these costs can be recovered from the service provider through the courts," the lawyer said.

He added that if a report is not drawn up after the application, the inspection will not If water quality is not improving, a complaint should be filed with the appropriate authorities—Rospotrebnadzor, the housing inspectorate, or the prosecutor's office.

He also stated that water supply interruptions are permitted only in emergency situations, and that outages should not exceed 24 consecutive hours. The local administration is obligated to ensure the delivery of drinking water. The lawyer added that, according to the rules for providing public utilities, in such situations, one can request a recalculation of the water bill. A lawsuit can be filed for compensation for losses—for example, for the purchase of bottled water—and moral damages, which are recoverable under the Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights. However, there is no need to submit requests for a recalculation; the company must process it itself. If this does not happen, you should contact the State Housing Inspectorate or the prosecutor's office.

As acting head of the State Housing Inspectorate of Dagestan Arsen Gadzhiev noted on his Telegram channel, commenting on the prolonged water outage in Kaspiysk, the agency conducted an inspection, which revealed that in at least two buildings, the water supplier failed to record the water outage in its official log, which should be the basis for recalculation.

"According to paragraph 101 of the Rules for the Provision of Public Utilities (RF PP No. 354), for each hour the permissible interruption duration is exceeded—and it was exceeded 52 times—the payment must be reduced by 0.15%. For 416 hours, this is a significant recalculation in your favor," Gadzhiev said.

As a reminder, during the Direct Line on November 27, 2025, the head of Dagestan... href="https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/242445">Sergey Melikov ignored pressing issues and gave only vague answers to questions raised. Residents of the republic were waiting for Melikov to explain the constant power and water outages, burning landfills, and rising prices for housing and communal services and transportation.