ALMATY, Kazakhstan, June 28. The volume of water consumption in Central Asia has doubled since the early 1990s, Head of the Center for Infrastructure and Industrial Research at the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) Arman Ahunbaev said during the "Water and Sanitation in Central Asia" research presentation at the bank's Annual Meeting and Business Forum in Almaty, Kazakhstan, TurkicWorld reports.
"Since the early 1990s, we have seen a steady increase in drinking water consumption in the region. Over these years, the volume of consumption has doubled to nearly 9 cubic kilometers today. However, this increase has not been matched by appropriate investment in the sector, leading to very high wear and tear on infrastructure. In some countries, it reaches 80 percent, which is significantly higher than what we observe in irrigation infrastructure," he noted.
According to him, significant water losses amount to 55 percent.
"We are losing almost half of the water in the distribution networks due to this deterioration. Additionally, 10 million people, or 14 percent of the population, do not have access to safe drinking water. This issue predominantly affects the rural population, with about 87 percent in urban areas having access. However, access does not guarantee water quality, which is crucial. In Kazakhstan, over 70 percent of wastewater treatment facilities are worn out. In Uzbekistan, almost a third of the population consumes water that does not meet necessary standards," he added.
The final day of the EDB Annual Meeting and Business Forum has commenced in Almaty, featuring three panel sessions and the presentation of the "Water and Sanitation in Central Asia" study.
