West Kazakhstan Region Nears Universal Clean Water Access by 2025
West Kazakhstan Region Achieves Near-Universal Access to Clean Drinking Water
One of the key infrastructure priorities has been fulfilled in West Kazakhstan Region: providing rural residents with high-quality drinking water. Over recent years, the region has effectively reached full coverage, meeting the targets set by the state.
As noted by Aliya Kabenova, deputy head of the regional construction department, every rural settlement in the region now has access to drinking water.
"Out of 413 rural settlements, 362 are connected to centralized water supply systems. Meanwhile, 51 villages that opted out of centralized systems rely on alternative sources—wells and boreholes," she reported.
These significant results were made possible by large-scale investments in infrastructure development. In 2025 alone, 8.9 billion tenge was allocated for this purpose. Of this, 8.6 billion tenge funded 14 projects, including 6.2 billion from the national budget and 2.4 billion from local funds. Under these projects, centralized water supply was extended to 15 rural settlements. Additionally, 40 modular water treatment units, costing 300 million tenge, were installed using local budget funds, swiftly resolving water supply issues in several areas.
Special attention is given to settlement patterns. Kabenova explained that in 43 villages, introducing centralized water supply was deemed economically unfeasible due to their small populations—averaging around 20 residents. Another eight settlements were officially dissolved.
"In such cases, water is provided through local sources. This is a practical solution that ensures people have access to water without excessive costs," she emphasized.
As a result of the program, nearly 8,000 rural residents gained access to clean drinking water. The region has thus fully complied with the president's directive. Experts note that this achievement is not only quantitative but also qualitative—most villages are now connected to centralized systems, meeting modern standards of comfort and safety.
At the same time, the water supply structure remains uneven. A number of small settlements still rely on alternative solutions. However, this approach allows for flexibility in addressing the region's demographic and economic realities. With the large-scale construction and connection phase now complete, priorities are shifting. The focus is turning toward modernizing existing networks, improving service quality, and addressing localized issues. As Kabenova stressed, future efforts will concentrate on ensuring the sustainable operation of the established infrastructure and enhancing the quality of life for rural communities.
In this way, West Kazakhstan Region is taking a systematic approach to developing its water supply, combining large-scale investment projects with targeted solutions and efficient resource management.
