Living and Dead Water: CACF Experts Assess the Quality of H2O in Kazakhstan

The global challenge of ensuring access to safe water is growing more acute every year—particularly for the countries of Central Asia, which are warming at rates significantly faster than the global average due to climate change. Kazakhstan is no exception. Despite having more than 85,000 rivers and over 48,200 lakes, the country continues to face a shortage of high-quality water. Experts from the Project Office for Central Asia on Climate Change and Green Energy of the Central Asian Climate Foundation (hereinafter – CACF) analyzed national data on the characteristics and suitability of water resources for various types of use. Their findings are far from encouraging. 

Water resources include surface and groundwater reserves suitable for domestic and municipal use. While the global volume of freshwater is extremely limited, it remains the primary source consumed by the population.

Surface waters include seas, lakes, rivers, wetlands, and other natural water bodies that accumulate on the Earth’s surface.

Kazakhstan’s water balance is predominantly shaped by surface waters, which amount to an average annual volume of 101 km3. Of this, 56% is generated within the country, while the remaining 44% flows in through transboundary rivers originating in neighboring states.

CACF experts examined the results of surface-water quality monitoring conducted by RSE “Kazhydromet” over the first nine months of the current year. The observations covered 372 hydrochemical stations across 133 water bodies, including 92 rivers, 24 lakes, 13 reservoirs, 3 canals, and 1 marine area.

Up to 60 physical and chemical indicators of water quality were assessed in the sampled surface waters. These included: temperature, suspended solids, color, transparency, pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand over 5 days (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), major ions of mineral composition, biogenic elements, organic pollutants (oil products, phenols), heavy metals, and pesticides.

The main pollutants affecting Kazakhstan’s surface waters include major ions (magnesium, chlorides, calcium, sulfates, mineralization), biogenic and organic compounds (ammonium, COD, total phosphorus, phosphates, total iron), heavy metals (cadmium, manganese, copper, zinc), phenols, and suspended solids. Exceedances of permissible concentrations are attributed to natural-climatic and anthropogenic factors, historical contamination, and the discharge of industrial wastewater.

Based on the observations, it was established that Class 1 water (very good quality) was found in 4 water bodies — the Aksu River (Turkestan region), the Arasan River, the Bettybulak River, as well as the Astana Reservoir.

Class 2 water (good quality) was identified in 1 water body — the Turgien River (total phosphorus).

Class 3 water (moderately polluted) was recorded in 52 water bodies (45 rivers, 5 reservoirs, 2 canal).

Rivers: Ural (BOD₅, COD, magnesium, oil products, phosphates, total iron), Shagan (phosphates, BOD₅, total iron, total phosphorus, magnesium), Ilek(West Kazakhstan region) – (phosphates, BOD₅, total iron, magnesium), Shyngyrlau (phosphates, BOD₅, total iron, magnesium, total phosphorus), Saryozen(magnesium, phosphates, BOD₅, total iron), Karaozen(phosphates, BOD₅, magnesium, total iron), Derkol(phosphates, total iron, BOD₅, magnesium), Syr Darya (sulfates, BOD₅, magnesium, total iron, copper, mineralization), Badam (sulfates), Arys (sulfates),Katta-Bugun (sulfates), Talas (COD, sulfates, magnesium, copper), Shu (COD, BOD₅, magnesium, sulfates, copper), Toktash (BOD₅, COD, sulfates, magnesium, ammonium-ion, copper), Emba (Atyrauregion) – (BOD₅, magnesium, sulfates, oil products),Kigash (magnesium, BOD₅, COD, oil products, cadmium), Sharonov Channel (magnesium, BOD₅, COD, oil products), Peretaska Channel (BOD₅, COD, magnesium, oil products), Yaik Channel (BOD₅, COD, magnesium, oil products), Bukhtarma (copper, manganese, total iron), Sekisovka (total iron, copper, manganese, ammonium-ion), Makhovka (BOD₅, magnesium, total iron, copper, manganese, ammonium-ion), Irtysh and Usolka (Pavlodar region) – (copper), Ishim (magnesium, suspended solids, phenols, total phosphorus), Silety (magnesium, ammonium-ion), Zhabai (magnesium), Shagalaly(magnesium, copper, ammonium-ion), Malaya Almatinka (magnesium), Esentai (copper), BolshayaAlmatinka (copper, total phosphorus), Ili (magnesium, copper), Chilik (magnesium, copper), Charyn(magnesium, copper), Tekes (ammonium-ion, magnesium, copper), Korgas (copper), Bayankol(copper), Esik (copper), Kaskelen (magnesium, copper), Karkara (magnesium), Talgar (ammonium-ion, copper), Temirlik (copper), Lepsy (copper), Aksu(Almaty region) – (magnesium, total iron, copper),Karatal (total iron, copper).

Reservoirs: Shardara (sulfates), Ust-Kamenogorsk (copper), Bukhtarma (copper), Kapchagai(magnesium), Kengir (sulfates, magnesium, manganese, copper).

Canals: Koshim (magnesium, phosphates, totalphosphorus, total iron, BOD₅), Nura–Yesil(mineralization, magnesium, ammonium-ion, sulfates).

Class 4 (polluted) was identified in 23 water bodies (19 rivers, 3 reservoirs, 1 canal).

Rivers: Ilek (Aktobe region) – (phenols), Kargaly(phenols), Emba (Aktobe region) – (phenols), Temir(phenols), Or (phenols), Aktasty (suspended solids, phenols), Kosestek (phenols), Oiul (phenols), BolshayaKobda (phenols), Chernaya Kobda (suspended solids, phenols), Irgyz (phenols), Irtysh (East Kazakhstan region) – (zinc), Uba (zinc), Assa (suspended solids),Aksu (Zhambyl region) – (COD), Aiyet (nickel, zinc),Togyzak (nickel, manganese, zinc), Uy (nickel, zinc, suspended solids, manganese), Ashylyairyk(chlorides).

Reservoirs: Sergeev (phenols), Tasotkel (COD),Shortandy (BOD₅, zinc).

Suspended solids were detected in the K. SatpayevCanal.

Class 5 (heavily polluted) was recorded in 9 waterbodies (5 rivers, 4 reservoirs).

Rivers: Black Irtysh (suspended solids), Breksa(zinc), Black Kengir (ammonium-ion, mineralization),Torgai (mineralization), Karabalta (sulfates).

Reservoirs: Samarkand (suspended solids),Karatomar (suspended solids), Verkhnye Tobol (suspended solids), Amangeldy (suspended solids).

Class 6 (highly polluted) was identified in 19 rivers of the republic: Tikhaya (zinc), Ulba (zinc),Glubochanka (zinc), Krasnoyarka (zinc), Yemel(suspended solids), Ayagoz (suspended solids),Urdzhar (suspended solids), Kishi Karakozha(cadmium, copper, zinc, manganese, lead, magnesium, total iron), Sokyr (ammonium-ion, total phosphorus, phosphates), Sherubainura (ammonium-ion, total phosphorus, phosphates), Tobol (chlorides, magnesium, mineralization), Obagan (mineralization, magnesium, chlorides), Zhelkuar (nickel), Akbulak(chlorides), Sarybulak (chlorides, ammonium-ion),Nura (total iron, suspended solids), Aksu (Akmolaregion) – (chlorides), Kylshykty (chlorides), Keles(suspended solids)).

Water of Class 1 purity is suitable for all types of use.

Class 2 water is suitable for fish farming, recreation, irrigation, and industrial purposes; simple treatment methods are required for domestic and drinking water supply.

Class 3 water may be used for recreation, irrigation, and industrial needs; it is suitable for carp aquaculture but undesirable for salmonids; conventional or intensive treatment is required for drinking water supply.

Class 4 water is suitable for irrigation and industrial purposes; deep treatment is required for drinking water supply.

Class 5 water can be used only for certain industrial purposes (hydropower, mining, hydraulic transport).

Pollution levels above Class 5 make water unsuitable for all types of use. 

As previously reported, the Regional Ecological Summit will be held in Astana on 22–24 April 2026, where environmental challenges of Central Asian countries and possible solutions will be discussed.