Why Are Underground Reserves Not Used in Kazakhstan Despite Water Shortages, and Who Is Responsible?
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Kazakhstan uses only 3.5% of its explored groundwater reserves, despite the country’s significant resource potential. At the same time, all of these reserves are considered usable and naturally replenished, Orda.kz reports.
According to Senate deputies who sent an inquiry to the Prime Minister, the country has a vast strategic water supply, but it is barely being used. At the same time, the management system governing this resource also raises questions.
According to the published response, Kazakhstan has only recently begun building a groundwater management system. The country has now explored 4,803 groundwater deposits with approved reserves of up to 43.2 million cubic meters per day. However, most of these resources have still not been brought into economic use.
The response further notes that regulation of the sector is being strengthened under the new Water Code and the strategy through 2030. At the same time, it was only in 2024 that the national service Kazhydrogeologiya was created, combining the functions of groundwater exploration, monitoring, and accounting.
The condition of these resources is monitored through a network of more than 4,000 observation wells, with data systematized annually by region. Digitalization is also advancing: the WaterBase information system is currently operating in pilot mode, and it is expected to be integrated into a unified national platform for water resource analysis and forecasting.
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov also announced plans to modernize Kazhydrogeologiya’s equipment, establish an analytical center with support from international partners, train specialists, and develop a long-term concept for groundwater use through 2040.
At the same time, the response does not specify which economic or infrastructural barriers are preventing these resources from being brought into economic use, nor does it identify a single body fully responsible for managing the sector. A significant share of the announced initiatives, including digital solutions and the integration of monitoring systems, is still at the development or pilot stage.
Original author: Elvira Ivannikova
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