OREANDA-NEWS. On 30 April 2009 was announced, that Ust-Kamenogorsk Environmental Remediation Project had been formally launched, at the Akimat of East-Kazakhstan Oblast in Ust-Kamenogorsk city. The Project is aimed at the prevention of groundwater contaminated by industrial waste sites to reach sensitive resources including residential areas in the city, drinking water wells, and the Irtysh River. To achieve this objective, the project will invest in the containment of the concerned industrial waste sites, prevention of further migration of polluted groundwater, and strengthening of local institutions to monitoring this type of pollution.

Total project cost is USD  40.09 million, including the World Bank loan of USD  24.29 million, and USD  15.80 million provided by the Government of Kazakhstan. The European Union also supports the Action with a separate grant of Euro 3.5 million to complement the Project for groundwater quality monitoring and institutional strengthening. The Implementing Agency for the Project is the Committee of Water Resources under the Ministry of Agriculture. The Project is expected to be completed in March 2013.

“We need to join forces to invest in our main asset – a sustainable and healthy environment. This Project will help to protect the groundwater in the city and what is not less important will serve as a platform for dialogue between many local partners involved,” – said Mr.  Kanat Daurembekov, Director of the Republican State Enterprise “Vostokvodkhoz”.

The project intends to stop further contamination of groundwater form historic industrial waste sites and prevent migration of polluted groundwater to residential areas and eventually the Irtysh River. It has three main components:

immediate cleanup activities to prevent further infiltration of contamination into the aquifer;

adequate measures for intercepting, treating and monitoring the contaminated groundwater in the project area;

program for groundwater quality monitoring, institutional strengthening, leakage detection and repair.

As a result of project implementation, the population will benefit from protecting groundwater quality, one of the most important natural resources.

“Dealing with pollution is important to public health and takes away barriers to economic development. With this and similar projects, the Republic of Kazakhstan clearly demonstrates it recognizes these needs and the Bank feels privileged it can be of support,” - said Mr. Frank van Woerden, World Bank Task Team Leader for this Project.

Implementation of the Project will require cooperation and participation of many parties in the East-Kazakhstan Oblast and the City, such as regulating authorities, local laboratories, the local industries with sites that need remediation under the Project, and other institutions. The Project launch was attended by representatives of all these organizations and self-governance agencies, as well as international partners, NGOs, and mass media.

The European Union contribution to this action is part of its broader support to water supply and sanitation and an integrated management of water resources in Central Asia, in line with the European Union Water Initiative (EUWI) principles.

The World Bank’s overall mission in Kazakhstan is to improve people’s lives by promoting diversification and competitiveness of the economy and creating more job opportunities. Since July 1992, the Bank has provided 32 loans to Kazakhstan for the total amount of more than 2.1 billion dollars.