In order to enhance the level of environmental safety at potentially hazardous enterprises, plans for the localization and elimination of emergency situations and accidents (PLEA) are developed. The PLEA governs the actions of enterprise personnel, population and authorities. However, under current regulations, it does not govern the procedures for monitoring the state of environmental components that may be affected in the event of an accident. This is particularly relevant to the monitoring of a water body into which accidental discharges of chemical pollutants may occur. The aim of this study is to provide a scientific justification for the use of integral (spatially interpreted) indicators of the state of water bodies in the course of post-accident remediation activities following pollution of natural water resources. Unlike simple concentration values, these indicators characterize the state of an extended part of the water body. It is proposed that the values of the integral indicator before and after the accident be compared. The usage of integral indicators is demonstrated through an analysis of retrospective data concerning the mitigation of a major man-made accident at the wastewater treatment facilities in Kharkiv. The assessment of the effectiveness of post-accident response measures using integral indicators, unlike simple concentration-based indicators, revealed incomplete restoration of the affected section of the Siverskyi Donets River following the emergency water release from the Oskil Reservoir. A distinguishing feature of integral quality indicators, compared to simple or composite water quality indicators at individual points of a water body, is their higher informational value.
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