Kazakhstan launches interactive map to track provision of villages with water — Beibut Atamkulov

By 2025, the population of Kazakhstan should be 100% provided with access to high-quality drinking water. This was announced by the Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan Beibut Atamkulov at today's government session chaired by the Prime Minister Askar Mamin.

The head of the ministry noted that this task will be implemented within the framework of the national project "Strong Regions - the Driver of the Country's Development."

“At the end of 2020, access to water supply services in the country amounted to 94.1%, including: in villages — 90.1%, in cities — 90.5%. By the end of the year it is necessary to achieve the planned indicators in villages — 91.8%, in cities — 98%,” Atamkulov said.

Today, access to clean drinking water in the regions is at different levels. Thus, high rates of drinking water coverage are observed in 3 regions — Atyrau, Almaty and Kyzylorda.

In some regions of the country, there is a lag. The lowest level of drinking water coverage of the rural population is noted in 4 regions: Kostanay, East Kazakhstan, North Kazakhstan and Zhambyl. To increase the level of water availability, lagging regions with low indicators are allocated funds on a priority basis. Also, priority is given to villages included in the Auyl - El Besigі project and projects included in comprehensive regional development plans.

There are 6,316 villages in the country. Of these, 3,991 villages are provided with centralized water supply. Complex block modules have been installed in 403 villages.

The following measures are being taken to solve the problems of villages that are not supplied with water, and there are now 1,922 of them.

It is planned to build a centralized water supply in 793 villages. In the remaining small villages where less than 200 people live, complex block modules will be installed. This year it is planned to provide 148 villages with central water supply and install complex block modules in 220 sparsely populated villages. Currently, in 85 villages, where it is planned to carry out central water supply, it is necessary to carry out hydrogeological work. In 170 sparsely populated villages, where it is planned to install integrated block modules, it is also necessary to carry out prospecting and exploration work.

"In order to timely fulfill the instructions of the Head of State, it is necessary to complete the development of design and estimate documentation for the remaining 453 villages by 2023," added the Minister of Industry.

Every year the population in the country is growing, and the consumption of water is growing accordingly. In connection with the migration of the population, today there is a need to expand water supply networks in 50 villages. For example, in the village of Karaotkel, Akmola region, is now actually home to about 18 thousand people, and the existing water supply network was laid in 2018 and is designed only for a population of up to 8 thousand people.

To expand water supply networks in 50 villages, it is necessary to provide for about 40 billion tenge in the budget. Local executive bodies need to quickly develop design estimates for these villages.

In order to monitor water supply to villages, the Ministry has launched an Interactive Map. It contains all the necessary information for each village, namely: water supply, financing, need for funds, population size, length, depreciation, etc. The map is publicly available on the Internet, that is, every citizen can view information on the village of interest. The Interactive Map is being updated with the inclusion of additional functions for feedback from the population, information on the regularity of water supply and the quality of services provided.

“Taking into account that the provision of the population with high-quality drinking water is under constant control, the akimats need to ensure high-quality and timely filling of data into the Interactive Map,” Atamkulov added.

For the rational use of water resources, it is necessary that the population itself be interested in the careful use of water. It is also necessary to introduce differentiated tariffs with the determination of the optimal consumption rate sufficient for a comfortable stay.

It is required to conduct a comprehensive analysis of water consumption in all regions and determine, on its basis, the optimal consumption rate per family. This will optimize the costs of producing drinking water supply and wastewater treatment.

For 100% provision of the population, akimats need to complete the high-quality development of design and estimate documentation and hydrogeological work by 2023 and accelerate the installation of integrated block modules in sparsely populated villages.

According to Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Serikkali Brekeshev, providing the population with high-quality drinking water is one of the priority tasks of the ministry.

“In accordance with the Water Code, the Ministry carries out the functions of water supply to the borders of settlements and is the administrator of the budget program for the construction and reconstruction of group water pipelines. At present, there are 76 group water pipelines in total in the republic with a length of 15.5 thousand km, of which 39 group water pipelines with a length of 13.4 thousand km are in the republican property. They provide drinking water to 631 rural settlements,” Brekeshev informed.

In 2020, 3 group water pipelines were commissioned in Almaty, West Kazakhstan and Kyzylorda regions. As a result, 343 km of networks were built, water supply was provided and improved in 13 SNPs and 1 city with a total population of 124.5 thousand people.

This year, 16 facilities for the construction and reconstruction of group water pipelines are being implemented, of which 8 facilities will be completed by the end of the year. To date, 2 objects have been completed. This is the 2nd stage of the Presnov group water pipeline and the transfer of the section of the Eskulin water pipeline. Thanks to the work carried out, 5 RSs will get access to high-quality drinking water and water supply will be improved in 51 RSs and 3 cities with a total population of 203 thousand people in Akmola, Aktobe, Karaganda and Kyzylorda regions. The remaining 8 facilities are scheduled for completion in 2022-2023.

Within the framework of the National Project "Strong Regions - the Driver of the Country's Development", it is planned to build and reconstruct 11 group water pipelines with a total cost of 36 billion tenge within 5 years. As a result, 63 RSs with a population of 23.3 thousand people will be provided with high-quality drinking water and water supply in 37 RSs will be improved.

In general, over 5 years, having built about 1.5 thousand km of group water pipelines, it is planned to achieve the indicator of water supply to settlements by 100%.

Stay updated about the events of the Prime Minister and the Government of Kazakhstan - subscribe to the official Telegram channel

Subscribe