Description of the project
The countries of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) are dependent on each other because of the water resources of transboundary rivers, the lake in the basins of transboundary rivers and transboundary groundwaters. Water quality is an important aspect of integrated water resources management, which requires further action at the national as well as at the regional level.
Water quality management in the rivers of the region – which is at the center of the project’s attention – is inefficient and inadequate, as the focus is on the amount of water and its distribution, mainly for irrigation and hydropower production. There is a need to improve national policies and regional cooperation with the ultimate goal of improving water quality.
Principles of the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (hereinafter the Water Convention) and its Protocol on Water and Health, as well as the EU Water Framework Directive are an important international framework that helps national as well as transboundary development in this region.
The UNECE project “Water quality in Central Asia” is implemented in cooperation with the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (REC Central Asia). It is aimed at strengthening the development of an effective and coordinated policy to improve water quality in the framework of integrated water resources management in Central Asia. The project began in March 2009. Its first stage was implemented in partnership with the European Commission project “Harmonization and approximation of water quality standards and norms in Central Asia.
The main objective of the project is to contribute to the development of an effective and coordinated national policy on aspects of water quality in integrated water resources management in Central Asia.
Main expected results of the project:
OP1. A step-by-step plan is proposed to develop an effective and coordinated national policy on aspects of water quality in integrated water resources management in Central Asia.
OP2. The capacity of experts and officials in the field of water quality aspects in integrated water resources management has been increased.
OR3 Improved coordination of joint assessment, monitoring and exchange of information on water quality.
An important aspect of the project is also the creation of a Regional Working Group on Quality with the participation of representatives from all countries of Central Asia
National experts of the project prepared four National reports on the topic “Standards and norms of water quality”. Reports can be downloaded below.
The draft Diagnostic Report and the Cooperation Development Plan “Development of Regional Cooperation on Water Quality Assurance in Central Asia” was developed and can be downloaded below
During the project implementation, the Regional Working Group met in Bishkek (April 2009 and May 2011), and in Almaty (March 2010 and December 2010). Meeting reports are available for download below.
Together with the meetings of the Regional Working Group, three seminars were held on the following topics:
- Seminar on the issue of permits and water quality standards.
- Seminar on monitoring and assessment of transboundary water quality
- Seminar on setting goals and developing a program of activities in accordance with the Water Framework Directive
Within the framework of the project, a pilot program of transboundary monitoring of surface waters will be conducted in the summer and autumn of 2011. Two rivers – Talas (Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan) and Vakhsh (Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan) – were chosen as pilot territories.
Upcoming activities / activities of the project:
- Pilot program for transboundary monitoring of surface waters
- The fifth meeting of the Regional Working Group, Astana, Kazakhstan, September 21-23, 2011.