Kazakhstan has begun developing a Concept for the Integrated Use and Management of Groundwater Resources for 2027-2040, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation said, Qazinform News Agency reports. The document is being prepared by the ministry’s department of groundwater.
As part of the development process, an interagency working group has been set up, expert discussions have been held, and proposals from government agencies and industry specialists have been taken into account. The next stage will involve publishing the draft concept and coordinating it with relevant government agencies.
The new concept is aimed at creating a modern system for managing Kazakhstan’s groundwater resources. Its implementation is expected to improve the efficiency of groundwater use, ensure more sustainable water supplies for settlements and economic sectors, and support the preservation and replenishment of the country’s water resources.
Today, Kazakhstan’s groundwater resources have been studied, but the level of detailed exploration remains insufficient. A significant number of promising areas require additional hydrogeological studies, reassessment and further exploration of reserves to objectively evaluate their actual potential, said Vice Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Talgat Momyshev.
According to him, state balance data shows that Kazakhstan’s exploitable groundwater reserves amount to 43.2 million cubic meters per day. However, actual use currently stands at about 1.5 million cubic meters per day, or 3.6 percent of the total available volume.
The development of the concept will help establish future approaches to the exploration, development and sustainable use of groundwater resources, which remain one of Kazakhstan’s key sources of water supply. Earlier, Qazinform reported Kazakhstan allocates 2.7 billion tenge from recovered assets to improve water supply in North Kazakhstan villages.