Document Actions
The country’s city water channels are in need of urgent refurbishment. Interview
Anatoly RYABTSEV, Chairman of the Water Resources Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- Dr. Ryabtsev, what do you think about the condition of the municipal water supply and sewage on the national and local levels?
- In one word, at present, the condition of this sector is critical, awful or disastrous!
The thing is that for the last 10-15 years the percentage of wear of networks and municipal water supply facilities has reached 70% on average! This is an average figure, in some cities and settlements this percentage achieved 80-90%.
This is proved by the Kazakhstan’s Agency for Natural Monopoly Regulation as all these water channels are referred to subjects of natural monopoly. The situation with municipal water supply in rural areas has slightly improved for the last several years after adoption of the Potable Water Program and realization of its first phase.
This concerns rural areas only as the Potable Water Program is mainly provided for countrymen.
As for the city water channels, their condition has been deteriorating from year to year. They work mainly in the emergency mode. If it is required to replace 5-10% of networks in cities, in fact it is replaced tens times less from the required scope of works.
At present, in these conditions there are no talks about preventive operations. This has happened due to lack of funds in Almaty Akhimats for renewal of worn water supply and sewage networks and facilities.
- What do you think which projects in the field of water technologies are the most urgent for Kazakhstan this year?
- In the first turn, this is the project of the Aral Sea Rehabilitation Project.
It is very important to the country and is performed by Kazakhstan on account of the World Bank’s loan. There are first real successes such as increase of the water volume in the Small Aral and real hope for fishing industry renewal. The project of construction of the re-regulating reservoir for accumulation of water of the Syrdarya river. This project allows for reserving water in winter and using it rationally for irrigation in the south of the country in vegetation period. The final decision on construction of this re-regulating reservoir on the highest level was taken exactly this year.
At present, the project of the river Nura treatment from mercury is being implemented; this is also very important for the north part of Kazakhstan. Moreover, projects of Asian and Islamic Development Bank aimed at water supply of rural settlements are being implemented in the northern, central and southern oblasts of Kazakhstan.
- What do you think, to which extent the Potable Water Program is able to solve the problem of water supply of 5,000 settlements of the country?
- We succeeded to avoid a lot of problems in agriculture in many oblasts of the country owing to the adoption and implementation of the first phase of this Program.
Group pipelines of the North-Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda and South-Kazakhstan Oblasts (over 500 settlements) were almost stopped that time (1990-s). In addition to small settlements many regional centers of the Eastern-Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda, Akmola and North-Kazakhstan Oblasts were without water. We even become late with its adoption and beginning of implementation. In the very beginning we planned the minimum amount (115.1 billion tenge), as at that time the country did not have sufficient funds for its planned and full implementation.
Implementation of the first phase of the Program has improved water supply in 1,600 settlements, with this 61.5 billion tenge was used from all funding sources. At present, we can say that the country possesses the serious construction infrastructure that allows for competing and working at the water network facilities on the highest level. Domestic companies manufacturing pipes, materials, equipment for potable water objects are being founded and actively work. In the first turn, these are the Chevron plant in Atyrau, Khobas in Aktobe, Kazakhstan’s Pipe Insulation Plant in Astana and other companies manufacturing pipes made of state-of-the-art materials. Manufacture of several types of water treatment plants has been tuned up for this period. Desalination plants of the Almaty Membrannye Technology Company are on the same level as the best western plants and at present work in over 120 settlements of Pavlodar, Akmola, North-Kazakhstan and Mangystau Oblasts and this company provides their service.
Attitude to water has changed in situ. Population is not satisfied with supplying water via public standposts as it was provided in our old CRP (Code of Regulations and Provisions), people want to receive water at home and via water meters. There is no syndrome of free collective farm water, now a water user is ready to pay for high-quality potable water and it is the task of water supplying companies to provide water.
For unbiased evaluation of the situation with water supply in regions, the Water Resources Committee evaluated condition of water supply facilities by nine indices and defined the rating of each oblast. The worst condition was in the Mangystau, North-Kazakhstan, Eastern-Kazakhstan and Atyrau Oblasts. Under the instruction of the Republican Budget Committee, in 2006 the Program passed the independent expert assessment by the group of experts including international experts who gave positive evaluation for the first phase of the Program and recommend to increase its funding and coverage of settlements that require improvement of water supply systems.
According to the results of the first phase of the Program, on October 16, 2007 there was adopted Governmental Decree No. 956 where the Program total budget was increased to 300.15 billion tenge 168.76 billion tenge from the national budget (including external loans and grants), 81.6 billion tenge from local budgets and 49.79 billion tenge from market participants.
With this, major tasks of the renewed Program were corrected to increase the number of the covered settlements.
For successful implementation of the Program it is proposed to attract external loans and grants more actively as it is necessary to understand that they are not just money but state-of-the-art technologies, equipment and management. In spite of positive changes in providing rural population with water, the Program administrators met some problems that demand immediate solution while implementing the first phase of the Program.
In the first turn, this concerns participation of executive local authorities in implementation of the Program. Unfortunately, successful implementation of the first phase has become possible owing to funds allocated from the national budget. Major akhimats did not implement programs planned by themselves. This causes concerns that in the next years this tendency will not change which result in the threat to the Program implementation.
In accordance with Law On Local State Self-Management, local executive authorities shall bear liability for providing population with potable water. Mainly, this concerns operation of waterworks facilities. Unfortunately, this work is mainly arranged on the very low level. One of the reasons is a low material and technical base of operation companies that are generally absent in some regions.
Foundation and logistics of the operation companies under the Program should be on the account of a local budget. However, that is not so for different reasons. The Water Resources Committee proposed to include to the project budget of 2008 the program that would solve this issue on account of funds of the national budget. Moreover, the Republican Budget Committee has also approved this issue, but the amount of 712 million tenge was excluded while reviewing the budget project of 2008 in the Mazhilis of the Kazakhstan’s Parliament.
Very urgent and complex issues in the area of water supply and sewage of the country are issues of tariff formation and prices for water. While implementing the first phase of the Program there was found weak coordination with local authorities, other state structures which has sometimes resulted in the whole number of problems such as a weak level of preparation of estimation documents, low-quality construction and low efficiency of investments.
As has been said on this floor, the funds for the Program implementation are significantly increased. However, there is another question whether it is possible for project and construction companies of the sector to use these funds till the end of the Program as every year it would be necessary to use much more funds than in previous years. Meanwhile, the capabilities of our construction industry are limited in this sector.
For this reason, in our opinion, it is necessary to prolong the Program terms till 2012 or possibly till 2015 in connection with its renewed tasks and additionally allocated funds.
- Our interview is on the eve of the WaterTech Central Asia 2008 exhibition and conference. What do you think about this event from the point of favor for the country’s water sector development? What do you wish to the participants of the international event?
- In general, I am pro increasing the number of such exhibitions and conferences as there are too many problems in our sector. Such events are beneficial and contribute to finding solutions of these problems by specialists in the area of water problems.
As is known, the main water user in the country is the Ministry of Agriculture. Issues of saving and rational use of water for irrigation in agriculture are the most important for us. In this connection, now we are in the process of active introduction of the drip irrigation technology in the south of the country.
We are also interested in introduction of the world experience of the Integrated Water Resources Management and now are in process of making the first steps in this direction.
Participation in similar international exhibitions and conferences helps to find something new and promising in our area, exchange information and plan our further activities.
For example, our Committee together with Kazakhstan Su Arnasy, the Association of Water Supply and Sewage Companies carries out Water Management: Reality, Problems and Outlooks, the international exhibition and conference, once per two years.
The first of them was in Shymkent in 2003, the second one – in Almaty in 2005, the third one – in Astana in 2007; the forth one is planned to be in Astana in 2009.
Moreover, the Committee along with the Association and its subdivisions actively participates in other international water exhibitions and conferences including the ECWATECH international exhibition which is carried out in Moscow as well once per two years.
I wish successful and fruitful work, new contacts with earlier unknown companies and getting new technologies, signing new contracts and successes in the professional spheres to all the participants of the WaterTech Central Asia 2008 Exhibition and Conference.
- In one word, at present, the condition of this sector is critical, awful or disastrous!
The thing is that for the last 10-15 years the percentage of wear of networks and municipal water supply facilities has reached 70% on average! This is an average figure, in some cities and settlements this percentage achieved 80-90%.
This is proved by the Kazakhstan’s Agency for Natural Monopoly Regulation as all these water channels are referred to subjects of natural monopoly. The situation with municipal water supply in rural areas has slightly improved for the last several years after adoption of the Potable Water Program and realization of its first phase.
This concerns rural areas only as the Potable Water Program is mainly provided for countrymen.
As for the city water channels, their condition has been deteriorating from year to year. They work mainly in the emergency mode. If it is required to replace 5-10% of networks in cities, in fact it is replaced tens times less from the required scope of works.
At present, in these conditions there are no talks about preventive operations. This has happened due to lack of funds in Almaty Akhimats for renewal of worn water supply and sewage networks and facilities.
- What do you think which projects in the field of water technologies are the most urgent for Kazakhstan this year?
- In the first turn, this is the project of the Aral Sea Rehabilitation Project.
It is very important to the country and is performed by Kazakhstan on account of the World Bank’s loan. There are first real successes such as increase of the water volume in the Small Aral and real hope for fishing industry renewal. The project of construction of the re-regulating reservoir for accumulation of water of the Syrdarya river. This project allows for reserving water in winter and using it rationally for irrigation in the south of the country in vegetation period. The final decision on construction of this re-regulating reservoir on the highest level was taken exactly this year.
At present, the project of the river Nura treatment from mercury is being implemented; this is also very important for the north part of Kazakhstan. Moreover, projects of Asian and Islamic Development Bank aimed at water supply of rural settlements are being implemented in the northern, central and southern oblasts of Kazakhstan.
- What do you think, to which extent the Potable Water Program is able to solve the problem of water supply of 5,000 settlements of the country?
- We succeeded to avoid a lot of problems in agriculture in many oblasts of the country owing to the adoption and implementation of the first phase of this Program.
Group pipelines of the North-Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda and South-Kazakhstan Oblasts (over 500 settlements) were almost stopped that time (1990-s). In addition to small settlements many regional centers of the Eastern-Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda, Akmola and North-Kazakhstan Oblasts were without water. We even become late with its adoption and beginning of implementation. In the very beginning we planned the minimum amount (115.1 billion tenge), as at that time the country did not have sufficient funds for its planned and full implementation.
Implementation of the first phase of the Program has improved water supply in 1,600 settlements, with this 61.5 billion tenge was used from all funding sources. At present, we can say that the country possesses the serious construction infrastructure that allows for competing and working at the water network facilities on the highest level. Domestic companies manufacturing pipes, materials, equipment for potable water objects are being founded and actively work. In the first turn, these are the Chevron plant in Atyrau, Khobas in Aktobe, Kazakhstan’s Pipe Insulation Plant in Astana and other companies manufacturing pipes made of state-of-the-art materials. Manufacture of several types of water treatment plants has been tuned up for this period. Desalination plants of the Almaty Membrannye Technology Company are on the same level as the best western plants and at present work in over 120 settlements of Pavlodar, Akmola, North-Kazakhstan and Mangystau Oblasts and this company provides their service.
Attitude to water has changed in situ. Population is not satisfied with supplying water via public standposts as it was provided in our old CRP (Code of Regulations and Provisions), people want to receive water at home and via water meters. There is no syndrome of free collective farm water, now a water user is ready to pay for high-quality potable water and it is the task of water supplying companies to provide water.
For unbiased evaluation of the situation with water supply in regions, the Water Resources Committee evaluated condition of water supply facilities by nine indices and defined the rating of each oblast. The worst condition was in the Mangystau, North-Kazakhstan, Eastern-Kazakhstan and Atyrau Oblasts. Under the instruction of the Republican Budget Committee, in 2006 the Program passed the independent expert assessment by the group of experts including international experts who gave positive evaluation for the first phase of the Program and recommend to increase its funding and coverage of settlements that require improvement of water supply systems.
According to the results of the first phase of the Program, on October 16, 2007 there was adopted Governmental Decree No. 956 where the Program total budget was increased to 300.15 billion tenge 168.76 billion tenge from the national budget (including external loans and grants), 81.6 billion tenge from local budgets and 49.79 billion tenge from market participants.
With this, major tasks of the renewed Program were corrected to increase the number of the covered settlements.
For successful implementation of the Program it is proposed to attract external loans and grants more actively as it is necessary to understand that they are not just money but state-of-the-art technologies, equipment and management. In spite of positive changes in providing rural population with water, the Program administrators met some problems that demand immediate solution while implementing the first phase of the Program.
In the first turn, this concerns participation of executive local authorities in implementation of the Program. Unfortunately, successful implementation of the first phase has become possible owing to funds allocated from the national budget. Major akhimats did not implement programs planned by themselves. This causes concerns that in the next years this tendency will not change which result in the threat to the Program implementation.
In accordance with Law On Local State Self-Management, local executive authorities shall bear liability for providing population with potable water. Mainly, this concerns operation of waterworks facilities. Unfortunately, this work is mainly arranged on the very low level. One of the reasons is a low material and technical base of operation companies that are generally absent in some regions.
Foundation and logistics of the operation companies under the Program should be on the account of a local budget. However, that is not so for different reasons. The Water Resources Committee proposed to include to the project budget of 2008 the program that would solve this issue on account of funds of the national budget. Moreover, the Republican Budget Committee has also approved this issue, but the amount of 712 million tenge was excluded while reviewing the budget project of 2008 in the Mazhilis of the Kazakhstan’s Parliament.
Very urgent and complex issues in the area of water supply and sewage of the country are issues of tariff formation and prices for water. While implementing the first phase of the Program there was found weak coordination with local authorities, other state structures which has sometimes resulted in the whole number of problems such as a weak level of preparation of estimation documents, low-quality construction and low efficiency of investments.
As has been said on this floor, the funds for the Program implementation are significantly increased. However, there is another question whether it is possible for project and construction companies of the sector to use these funds till the end of the Program as every year it would be necessary to use much more funds than in previous years. Meanwhile, the capabilities of our construction industry are limited in this sector.
For this reason, in our opinion, it is necessary to prolong the Program terms till 2012 or possibly till 2015 in connection with its renewed tasks and additionally allocated funds.
- Our interview is on the eve of the WaterTech Central Asia 2008 exhibition and conference. What do you think about this event from the point of favor for the country’s water sector development? What do you wish to the participants of the international event?
- In general, I am pro increasing the number of such exhibitions and conferences as there are too many problems in our sector. Such events are beneficial and contribute to finding solutions of these problems by specialists in the area of water problems.
As is known, the main water user in the country is the Ministry of Agriculture. Issues of saving and rational use of water for irrigation in agriculture are the most important for us. In this connection, now we are in the process of active introduction of the drip irrigation technology in the south of the country.
We are also interested in introduction of the world experience of the Integrated Water Resources Management and now are in process of making the first steps in this direction.
Participation in similar international exhibitions and conferences helps to find something new and promising in our area, exchange information and plan our further activities.
For example, our Committee together with Kazakhstan Su Arnasy, the Association of Water Supply and Sewage Companies carries out Water Management: Reality, Problems and Outlooks, the international exhibition and conference, once per two years.
The first of them was in Shymkent in 2003, the second one – in Almaty in 2005, the third one – in Astana in 2007; the forth one is planned to be in Astana in 2009.
Moreover, the Committee along with the Association and its subdivisions actively participates in other international water exhibitions and conferences including the ECWATECH international exhibition which is carried out in Moscow as well once per two years.
I wish successful and fruitful work, new contacts with earlier unknown companies and getting new technologies, signing new contracts and successes in the professional spheres to all the participants of the WaterTech Central Asia 2008 Exhibition and Conference.
The country’s city water channels are in need of urgent refurbishment. Interview
