08 July 2026, 12:37
Under the chairmanship of Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, a meeting of the Water Council was held.
Reports were heard from Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, akims of Akmola, Almaty, East Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, West Kazakhstan, and North Kazakhstan regions on the implementation of the President’s instructions on the modernization of the water sector, the construction of new reservoirs, and the use of advanced water-saving technologies. Attention was also paid to the introduction of the National Water Resources Information System.
On the eve of the professional holiday, the head of the Government congratulated water sector workers and noted the strategic importance of their work for the sustainable development of regions, agriculture, industry, and improving the well-being of the population. Within the framework of the Concept for the Development of the Water Resources Management System and the Comprehensive Plan for the Development of the Water Sector, 160 measures are being implemented with a total funding volume of 3.2 trillion tenge.
Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov reported that in 2024–2025, the reconstruction of 5 reservoirs in Aktobe, Turkestan, West Kazakhstan, Abai regions, and Zhetisu region was completed. Repair and modernization of about 1.5 thousand km of canals were carried out, and 22 projects for the construction and reconstruction of drinking water supply facilities were implemented, covering about 1 million people. By the end of 2025, the dynamics of the introduction of water-saving technologies in agriculture increased almost 5 times, the area of application of water-saving technologies reached about 550 thousand hectares, which allowed saving about 880 million m³ of irrigation water. By 2030, this indicator is planned to be brought to 1.3 million hectares.
Today, work is underway on the construction and reconstruction of reservoirs, the modernization of 14.5 thousand km of irrigation canals, including the digitization of at least 3.5 thousand km of canals, the introduction of water-saving technologies, the digitalization of the industry, and the strengthening of personnel potential.
In 2026, it is planned to commission about 1 thousand km of canals, which will improve water supply to about 200 thousand hectares of irrigated lands. 12 projects for the construction and reconstruction of water supply facilities will be put into operation. As a result, the provision of high-quality drinking water will be improved for 142 rural settlements with a total population of over half a million people.
As part of work on personnel support and increasing the attractiveness of working in the water sector, the network of educational institutions training specialists for the industry has been expanded, and the number of educational grants is increasing annually. Since 2023, 1,652 grants have been allocated. For the upcoming academic year, another 1,000 grants are planned to be allocated. A key element of personnel policy remains the increase in wages. Over the past 2.5 years, the average salary of employees of the Republican State Enterprise “Kazvodkhoz” has more than doubled.
Deputy Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Aslan Abdraimov reported that the National Water Resources Information System is functioning and forms the basis of a unified digital ecosystem of the industry, combining data on water bodies and water management infrastructure. The system ensures the maintenance of the water balance, accounting and analysis of water use, monitoring of the condition of reservoirs, as well as the use of space monitoring and data on transboundary water bodies. The National Water Resources Information System is being implemented at the expense of grant funds from the Eurasian Development Bank, without attracting funds from the republican budget.
The information system reflects data on 17,758 rivers, 3,148 lakes, 3,927 monitoring wells, and 1,209 hydraulic structures. More than 10 thousand passports of water management and hydraulic structures have been entered into the digital register, and more than 6 thousand reports of special water use have been accepted.
Following the meeting, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov emphasized that the implementation of a number of projects in the regions is delayed.
“Akimats of the regions must ensure priority financing of measures assigned to local budgets. Relevant expenses must be timely provided for when forming and clarifying regional budgets. I instruct the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation to strengthen monitoring of the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, to more strictly control the timing and volumes of financing for each measure. On all problematic issues, it is necessary to promptly submit specific proposals and solutions to the Government,” Olzhas Bektenov noted.
The Prime Minister also focused attention on work to introduce water-saving technologies, emphasizing that this issue is under special control of the Head of State. The introduction of water-saving technologies should be carried out at a high pace. Akimats must pay special attention to this issue.
The head of the Government also gave a number of instructions:
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