The Town of the XXI Century
Series of reports on ecological situation in Central Asia

THE SOURCE OF LIFE ON THE PLANET

Clean water for the city

Using technical assistance from Germany, German technical cooperation society and German company C & E are developing the complex of actions aimed at increasing effectiveness of the regional water resource use (Project of ecological use of water resources in the city of Almaty). Development of the project is done in accordance with the contract-agreement between C&A and the Almaty city division of the Ministry of ecology and biological resources signed on November 7, 1996.

To develop and adopt the optimal measures, almost each of the directions of the Project and the majority of the tasks are processed using in-depth complex analysis, results of which are presented in conceptual format developed in relation to all blocks and groups of tasks. Based on the provided international experience, the foundation of the project is represented by 5-6 blocks of tasks related to:

• Reliable monitoring
• Stable legal foundation
• Stable and massive cooperation with the people
• High qualifications of the leadership and specialists
• Improvement of forms and methods of using water resources.

This structure of the Project has been supported by many scientists, industrial leaders and specialists, leaders of public movements. It has been adopted by the Ecological Council of the city of Almaty.

Reviewing the actions of the Project, the Council recommended to account for necessity to solve the following priority problems:

ADAPTATION OF THE WATER USING REGULATIONS of the city of Almaty to progressive international standards, review and tighten regulations related to water extraction, consumption, drain and pollution.

ELIMINATION OF WATER LOSSES by equipping water consumption objects, by special devices registering the amounts of water consumed; by increasing technical reliability (stability) of water supply and sewage systems; by decreasing consumption of energy and other resources necessary to extract, prepare and regenerate water.

ELIMINATION OF THE THREAT OF DESTRUCTION AND POLLUTION OF UNDERGROUND AND ON-THE-GROUND WATER SOURCES by introducing rational water consumption, organization and appropriate preservation of water protection territories;

GUARANTEED HARMLESS FUNCTIONING OF ALL OF THE LINKS OF WATER PROCESSING INSTALLATIONS, including installations of silt squares, Sorbulak collector, watered crop lands;

INCREASE IN PUBLIC INTEREST TO CAREFUL USE OF WATER RESOURCES, optimization of the state regulation of water resource use.

On-the-spot participation in problem-solving: Associations of water consumers

Increase in the squares of watered crop lands in the basins of Amudaria and Syrdaria served as the main cause of the ecological catastrophe of the drying out Aral sea. Together with the loss of abundant natural resources, continuing drying out of the sea has lead to the spread of salt over large territories, which has harmful effects on the soil and people's health.

Together with using limited water resources of central Asia, irrigation of the agriculture in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan was also secured by using hydro power plants. Volumes of water required for irrigation of agriculture and for power plants constantly change as a result of the changes in season cycles. To agree on the required consumption using resources of Central Asian rivers, it is necessary to conduct negotiations with participation of representatives of the governments of the countries involved in the process of reaching regional agreements regulating the use of common water arteries of Central Asia.

All five of the Central Asian states are burdened by the heritage of the Soviet economic system, which was based on production oriented on quantity, while the artificially set prices did not reflect the deficit of the resources used and, especially of water used in production.

Intensive consumption of natural resources (water, land) was accompanied by

Ill-managed use of fertilizers and pesticides and also by chaotic drain of harmful pollutants into Central Asian rivers. These actions were extremely harmful for the quality of soil and health of the people. Moreover, the overall economic chaos has led to destruction and disintegration of the infrastructure of irrigation (coverage of river bottoms, dams and locks, canals systems of irrigation) and valuable agricultural equipment. Solution of the problem of ineffectiveness and poor maintenance of the systems of irrigation is the key issue related to stabilization of agriculture and reduction of the harmful influence on Aral sea.

Decisive element of the new system and policy of more rational water distribution and price setting will be represented by direct involvement of those who plays the major role in the current system - farmers. Based on the experience of other countries it is possible to say that one of the opportunities to increase the level of influence of the farmers is to establish Association of water consumers, which can include all farms linked by one system of irrigation. In the Republic of Kazakhstan the number of such associations constantly grows. At the Republican-wide seminars sponsored by Ministry of agriculture and Water Resources Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan, farmers and water resource managers are provided with assistance in better understanding of the differences among various forms of organization defined by the current legislation of Kazakhstan. Technical assistance has been provided by Harvard International Development Institute in the framework of the project financed by the United states Agency for International development. Advantages of Associations of water consumers are obvious: better water distribution, evaluation of its costs, coordinated management of watering processes, decentralization and possible community participation.

Let's save the water together

Scientists are involved in hot debates regarding the ways to solve difficult problems of the humanity related to water. Within next ten years the World Bank plans to invest 600 billion dollars into projects related to development of water supply and sewage systems. It will cost more if we do not invest the funds.

It is necessary to stress conservation of resources and effective use of water resources, provide stable, accessible and affordable service to each person.