Scientists at the Institute for Water and Environmental Problems (IWEP) in Barnaul and their research colleagues in Tomsk have offered their technologies to pre-treat and purify drinking water and improve water for industrial purposes in the Crimea, the large peninsula on the Black Sea shore, the Russian news agency ITAR-TASS reported.

The Crimea, historically part of Russia since the 18th century, used to be a Ukrainian region between 1954 and this past March when the local population held a referendum and chose to re-join the Russian Federation.

Water that Crimean residents produce from underwater sources and drink is far below Russian sanitary standards, said Yuri Vinokurov, the CEO of IWEP. The water there has dangerously increased calcium, iron and manganese content, he explained.

“There are customers there willing to get new water; and we’re working to soon move from theory to supplying special units to treat drinking water,” Mr. Vinokurov said.

The Siberian scientists have also suggested that the Crimea use their technology in improving water for technical purposes in the peninsula’s large cities of Simferopol, Sevastopol, Yalta, Alushta, etc. Solutions are said to have been developed and waiting until the decision to manufacture systems commercially is made.

The Ukrainian capital city of Kiev has not supplied water to the Crimea since April, thus causing local rice crops to perish. Some limited water supply has been preserved, though, as there were reserves in reservoirs.