ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 15. Construction work to increase the capacity of the Caspian Desalination Plant LLP in Mangistau region of Kazakhstan 40,000 cubic meters per day has been completed by 90 percent to date, director of the plant, Nurlybay Akkulov said during the visit of Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov to the region, Trend reports.
Thus, the plant installed new pumping units, water pre-treatment filters, filter-conditioners for water mineralization, mixing chambers, power lines and transformer substations.
It was noted that more than 12 billion tenge (about $25.5 million) were allocated from the state budget for the modernization of the facility, and an additional more than 5 billion (about 10.6 million) from the government reserve.
In turn, Alikhan Smailov noted that the plant is the main source of drinking water for the settlements of the Munaily and Karakiya districts. Now its capacity is 20,000 cubic meters per day. It provides water to more than 180,000 people.
According to World Bank forecasts, the volume of water resources in Kazakhstan will decrease from 90 to 76 km³ per year by 2030. This means that the water shortage in the country in just eight years will be about 12-15 km³ per year, that is, about 15 percent.
