At a meeting of the Government chaired by the Prime Minister Askar Mamin, issues of water supply and sanitation of settlements were considered.

Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Beibut Atamkulov, Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Magzum Mirzagaliyev, Akim of Zhambyl Region Berdibek Saparbayev, Akim Pavlodar Region Abylkair Skakov, First Deputy Akim of Kostanay Region Gauez Nurmukhambetov presented their reports.

Today, access to centralized water supply is 97.2% in cities and 86.4% in villages. 100% provision with centralized water supply in cities was achieved in North Kazakhstan, Mangystau and Atyrau regions, in villages — Almaty (98.8%), Atyrau (98.4%) and Kyzylorda (97.2%) regions. Low rates of access to centralized water supply are noted in Kostanay (61.1%), Zhambyl (72.6%) and Pavlodar (73.3%) regions.

Work is underway on the construction, reconstruction and modernization of sewage treatment facilities in 53 cities, funding sources have been identified (loans from ADB and EBRD), and project documentation is being prepared.

“Providing the population with clean drinking water is a strategic task of the Government, the solution of which directly affects the improvement of the quality of life of people. Each akimat should have specific plans to bring the necessary infrastructure to settlements,” Mamin said.

The Head of Government stressed that following the implementation of the Nurly Zher State Program, by 2025, 100% of the population will be provided with clean drinking water. At the same time, it is important to create and connect the infrastructure of group water pipelines to the borders of rural settlements, which should be synchronized with the supply of networks within settlements.

In order to reduce costs and develop local content, the prime minister instructed to use standard design and estimate documentation projects when implementing water supply and sewerage projects, as well as use materials from domestic manufacturers.

The Ministry of Ecology was instructed to take measures to further improve the existing management system for group water pipelines, to ensure the timely implementation of projects for their construction and reconstruction. At the same time, the need to complete the construction of three long-term construction projects by the end of 2021, providing for the supply of water to 38 settlements with a population of 197 thousand people, was emphasized.

The ministries of industry, national economy, finance, ecology, healthcare, in order to prevent an increase in tariffs for the population, were instructed to ensure the legislative consolidation of the mechanism for the implementation of projects for the construction and reconstruction of sewage treatment facilities, taking into account the maintenance and repayment of loans.