Akim of West Kazakhstan region: "The shortage of drinking water in Uralsk should not be allowed»

At a meeting on the issue of providing the regional center with drinking water, the Governor of the WKO criticized the management of the local water utility for the lack of work on implementing a water saving program and recommended starting to develop a differentiated water tariff for economical and wasteful citizens in order to finally stop draining the Urals into toilets.
The issue of providing Uralsk with clean drinking water was the reason for holding a meeting under the chairmanship of WKO akim Gali Iskaliev.
– Both last year and this year there were problems with the water supply of the city residents, there were fair claims from the citizens. Today we will discuss the reasons for this situation, and what measures we will take to prevent water shortages in the future, " said WKO akim Gali Iskaliev.
Mayor of Uralsk Abat Shynybekov told the audience that water treatment facilities have been supplying the city with 30 thousand cubic meters of water per day From the Ural river since 1963. the underground water intake near the village of Trekino pumps 22 thousand cubic meters per day for the city (it has been in operation since 1973). This volume of water is enough for the needs of citizens in the autumn, winter and early spring. During the summer period, there is a shortage of water due to the fact that the population increases the volume of water consumption-most often due to irrigation of gardens in the private sector with drinking water from a centralized water supply system. As a result, the volume of incoming water does not have time to accumulate, the pressure in the pipes drops, and residents of the upper floors of high-rise buildings are left alone with dry taps.
– One of the main reasons for water scarcity is a decrease in the water level in the Ural river, – Abat Shynybekov explained. – In this regard, since the fall of 2019, measures are being taken to increase water production at the underground water intake: 1 well with a capacity of 1300 cubic meters per day has been commissioned, which simultaneously provides water to the village of Trekino. Also, 5 wells were overhauled, which led to an increase in the supply of water to the city by 2000 cubic meters per day.
At present, Uralvodproekt LLP has developed a project for drilling additional 6 wells, work on their arrangement is planned to be carried out in 2021, these wells will increase the volume of produced water from 6 to 7 thousand cubic meters per day.
Abat Shynybekov stressed that the issue of water supply to the settlements of Zachagansk and Derkul, as well as the planned construction of a new microdistrict "akzhayyk", is now acute. According to him, the only rational proposal to resolve this situation is to use the resources of the Kamensk group water pipeline, whose reserves, according to proven data, allow producing up to 24 thousand cubic meters of water per day (note that now the field produces 6.5 thousand cubic meters per day, the unused water supply is 17.5 thousand cubic meters). Now, with the support of the regional akimat, the implementation of measures to transfer the Kamenskoye field to the municipal property of the region from the Republican property has begun. To bring the volume of water production from the Serebryakovsky field, which is part of the Kamensk group water pipeline, to the proven capacity of 24 thousand cubic meters, it is necessary to perform a number of measures to drill additional wells, overhaul two clean water reservoirs with a volume of 3,600 thousand cubic meters, and replace the water pipeline from the field to the city of Uralsk.
Akylbek Amangaliev, Deputy Director of Batys su Arnasy LLP, said that the company operates 442.2 km of water supply networks, with wear – 60.5%, and 363.2 km of sewer networks with wear – 61.3%. The city's water supply and sanitation system serves 109,221 subscribers, of which 105,453 are individuals, 278 are budget organizations, and 3,490 are other legal entities. In 2019, the water utility produced more than 16 million cubic meters of water, of which excess losses amounted to 1.5 million cubic meters.
– Now we have a lack of water resources in the region due to the sharp shallowing of the Urals,-stated Amangaliev. – however, citizens continue to use water irrationally. Individual consumers in apartment buildings spend 35-40 cubic meters of water per month. We believe that the Urals do not save water, because they get it for a low price.
Note that at the moment in Uralsk there are some of the lowest prices for drinking water and sanitation for the population - 93.86 tenge per 1 cubic meter. At the same time, water tariffs for budget organizations - 927.87 tenge and for legal entities - 587.75 tenge per cubic meter - are the second largest in the Republic.
Akylbek Amangaliyev explained that at the moment the population owes them 244.5 million tenge for water consumed, budget organizations – 36.3 million tenge, legal entities – 58.2 million tenge.
Vodokanal itself has debts to suppliers of 550 million tenge. The company suffers losses, as Amangaliev explains, largely because of the quarantine. So, due to the closure and reduction of the work of budget organizations, Batys su Arnasy LLP lost 54 million tenge-the volume of 85 thousand cubic meters of water remained unclaimed. For legal entities that were also idle during the emergency, the amount of shortage amounted to 79 million tenge due to the lack of those needs for 180 thousand cubic meters of water.
In addition, since July 1, 2020, there has been an increase in the cost of electricity received from JSC "Zhaikteploenergo": the tariff for the Ural water utility increased from 7.36 tenge to 10.61 tenge. The increase in the cost of electricity from JSC "Zhaikteploenergo" increased the company's expenses by 24 million tenge (the total cost of "Batys su Arnasy" LLP for electricity is 257 million tenge per year).
– You lead the conversation to an increase in the water tariff. And now you say that your production was 16 million cubic meters. 11 million of them were paid for by consumers and businesses. Another 29% - 4.7 million cubic meters last year - were actual water losses. It turns out that you lost 442 million tenge over the year. I believe that there is a large reserve in this amount of regulatory and excess losses. I instruct the mayor's office of the city and the management of Batys su Arnasy LLP to officially analyze the causes of losses and submit a plan to the akim's office within 10 days to reduce them, "the WKO akim said.
Gali Iskaliev also drew the attention of the audience to the fact that the main burden of paying for water is borne by budget organizations and businesses. The population spends ten times less on water supply, and therefore does not save this vital resource. Thus, monitoring groups of Vodokanal revealed the facts of consumption by individual residents of the city of 27-35 cubic meters of water per month.
– Last year, when the water utility was managed by a private company, I gave instructions to analyze the average water consumption of one family in Uralsk and give suggestions for implementing a water saving program in the city. But you didn't give me anything. We thought that when we took the company into communal ownership, we would restore order in it. But you don't have any order. Some of my colleagues say: "We just flush the Urals down the toilet!» This categorically should not be. Analyze the situation. Identify consumers who are several times higher than the volume of water consumption. Make proposals for introducing differentiated tariffs - let those who spend water wastefully and do not save, pay more. You need to know the real price of water, and you in "Batys su Arnasy" themselves - a solid waste and loss, – said the Governor of the West Kazakhstan region sharply.
Public figures present at the meeting - Deputy of the regional maslikhat Katauolla ashigaliev and representative of the public Council of the region Veniamin Mukataev shared their Vision of the situation on the organization of uninterrupted supply of drinking water to Uralsk.
So, according to ashigaliev, it is necessary to introduce a differentiated tariff in Order to motivate citizens to save money. The MP said that once the city had prepared a contingency plan for water supply to the city due to Takasago deposits of underground waters (the river Ural, near the village Floodplain) and due to Kamensky field. These projects should be reviewed and the one that is most economically feasible should be selected.
Veniamin Mukatayev noted that water is the source of life, without which all life is unthinkable. He also expressed confidence that it is necessary to take the Kamensky water supply system into the ownership of Batys su Arnasy LLP, put it in order and increase the volume of water supply to the city with its help.
– Our task for the next year is to prevent what happened this year: when 25% of the population experienced difficulties with water in the hottest weather. We will review the budget for 2021 and seek funds to ensure that water is available in every apartment without interruption. And "Batys-su Arnasy" should reconsider their policy - all orders, which we now give, should be performed: regarding water conservation, reduction of excessive losses, the implementation of differentiated tariff. The company has reserves to work with the current tariff. I want to emphasize once again: it is impossible to work so that 30% of water flows into the pipe in the form of losses when we have a water shortage in the region, – Gali Iskaliev concluded at the end of the meeting.

Lyudmila Kalashnikova,
zhaikpress.kz