25 urban settlements of Kazakhstan face drinking water shortage

ASTANA. KAZINFORM Urban drinking water coverage in Kazakhstan in 2022 made 98.4% and rural drinking water coverage rose to 94.5%. Urban residents in nine regions of the country have 100% access to drinking water. This is what Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Marat Karabayev said at the Cabinet’s weekly meeting, Kazinform reports.

According to the Minister, 64 out of 89 urban settlements have a 100% access to drinking water. The remaining 25 urban settlements (including Shymkent, Talgar, Ust Kamenogorsk and Shemonaikha) will be provided with water until the end of 2025.

In his words, the lowest drinking water coverage is observed in Zhambyl region - 91.9%, and in rural settlements of Kostanay, Akmola and North Kazakhstan regions.

280 billion tenge were allocated from the national budget for the construction and reconstruction of water supply and water discharge systems in 2023, which will enable to implement 402 projects. 135 projects worth 167 billion tenge will be implemented in urban settlements, and 267 projects worth 113 billion will be implemented in rural settlements.

As a result, by the end of the year, drinking water coverage in urban settlements is expected to reach 98.8% and 96.3% in rural settlements, he said.