China to Help Quench Astana’s Thirst with Major Water Project

On March 31, an EPC contract was signed in Astana for the construction of a water pipeline linking the capital to the Satpayev Canal. The project will be carried out by a Chinese company, Orda.kz reports.

According to Kazakhstan's government’s press service, the contract includes the construction of Pumping and Filtering Station No. 4 — a key facility in Astana’s water supply system.

This is a strategic project aimed at ensuring a reliable and high-quality water supply for Astana. The pipeline will stretch 203.06 kilometers (two lines). The project will modernize the city’s utility infrastructure, increase resilience to rising consumption, and support further socio-economic development, the government said in a statement.

The water pipeline will be built by China Energy International Group and its subsidiary, China Gezhouba Group Company Ltd (CGGC) — one of the world’s largest construction firms, operating since 1970. This isn’t CGGC’s first project in Kazakhstan; it previously built a cement plant and, in 2010, signed an agreement to construct a hydroelectric station on the Chilik River (though that project has yet to be realized).

Astana has long faced water shortages, a problem that also affects many other parts of Kazakhstan. Earlier, Orda.kz reported that other Central Asian countries have pledged to supply Kazakhstan with 11 billion cubic meters of water by April 2025.

Original Author: Nikita Drobny