137
Секция
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Экология
и
устойчивое
развитие
»
households – 4,143 (11,707 residents), public enterprises – 67, other
organizations - 200. Private sector includes 3,243 households (12,161
residents).
As the volumetric measurement is available, volumetric rate tariff s
for diff erent groups of users are applied. Fees are paid based on the
volume of water consumed. In 2019 households taking water from taps
equipped with metering have to pay a monthly water supply tariff of
16.99 tenge (0.04 USD) and sewerage tariff of 3.52 tenge (0.009 USD).
In case, they have no water metering, the fee amounts 153.44 tenge (0.4
USD) per person a month. The fee for irrigation backyards is 863.40
tenge (2.24 USD) per 0.1 hectare. The price of water is extremely low,
thus, there is no incentive for an eff ective use of water. Some residents
use drinking water for watering livestock.
According to the expert interview with the chief accountant of
“Vodokanal” Ms. Elsymakova Orazkul residents’ debt on communal
services amounts 86,623 thousand tenge. For collection of receivables
water company returns debts through the courts. Nevertheless, the
eff ectiveness of debt-relief measures as well as billing control leave
much to be desired.
Financial sustainability of the water supply sector is a critical issue
in Kazakhstan. One of the causes for lagging in the infrastructure
development is a weak tariff -making mechanism that does not allow
covering operating and investment costs [13]. In majority of mono-
cities, water tariff policy on full cost recovery is not put into practice.
Therefore, the utilities cannot aff ord to make capital investment at the
own expense, so, they exclusively rely on local budget support and state
development programs. Strict antimonopoly regulation and the existing
system for tariff calculations do not provide cost recovery. Thus, PWU
“Igilik” has no own funds for maintenance, repair and renovation of the
water supply infrastructure.
In summary, the sustainability of WS&WWD depends on achieving
a balance between the principle of cost recovery from water tariff s and
water price aff ordability for their population. To sustain operation of
water systems and guarantee a gradual return of investments, cost-
eff ective water tariff s should possibly be introduced in Karatau.
Conclusion
Providing safe and stable water supply to small towns in Kazakhstan
is a challenge that the government needs to tackle as soon as possible to