Almost 10M people have poor access to safe drinking water in Central Asia – EDB

Almost 10 million people, or 14% of the population, have poor access to safe drinking water in Central Asia, News.Az reports citing a new research paper “Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation in Central Asia”, released by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB).

Water withdrawals for drinking and domestic uses increased twofold to reach 8.6 km3 between 1994 and 2020, while investments in drinking water supply infrastructure failed to match that consumption growth, the paper says.

“As a result, water and sanitation equipment wear and tear are extremely high, reaching 80% in CA according to some estimates. Physical and commercial water losses in distribution networks can be as high as 55%,” it notes.

The EBD research stresses a clear lack of financial support for plans adopted by Central Asia to develop the sector, and forecasts a deficit of over $12 billion, or around $2 billion per year, between 2025-30.

“The largest shortfall is expected in Uzbekistan, estimated at $826 million per year, or almost $5 billion between 2025–30. A large shortfall is also projected for Kazakhstan at $700 million per year, or $4.2 billion from 2025–30. In Tajikistan, the shortfall will also be significant, given the size of the country’s economy, reaching $209 million per year, or more than $1.2 billion from 2025–30,” says the paper.

To address the issue, the EDB paper outlines three solutions that could help Central Asian countries raise the required investment capital.

News.Az