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3 Water Use and Flow Regulation This chapter provides information on water use in key sectors in the CA countries: drinking and household water supply, irrigated agriculture, hydropower and aquatic ecosystems. The information on total water withdrawal and available water supply in the countries is given beforehand.
Total water withdrawal and available water supply Since the 2000s, the total water withdrawal did not change considerably, although some changes were observed in water uses (see Table 3.1). In the region as a whole, water withdrawal for drinking and household needs increased by 6.3% and that for industrial needs grew by 25.5%. However, in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan water withdrawal for drinking and household needs decreased. In Tajikistan and Turkmenistan water withdrawal for industrial needs also decreased. Over the 20-year period, irrigation water use virtually did not change in the region as a whole. There is some dissonance in overall water withdrawal data due to information from Kazakhstan. The country keeps detailed accounting of water withdrawals using so-called 2 TP-Vodhoz (2-ТП Водхоз) form. This helps to keep records of even water circulation through turbines of power stations that show non-consumptive water use by the stations. This gives the impression of almost full usage of surface water by the state. As to other states, accounting of water used for energy generation is made through thermal power plants only, though not everywhere.
Table 3.1. Data on water withdrawal and water consumption in the Aral Sea basin (comparison of 2002 and 2018) Country Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan TOTAL
TOTAL* 2002 2018 13830 18732 4469 5526 12691 12301 28334 25380 60554 50947 119878 112886
Irrigation 2002 2018 10294 12301 4264 5240 9623 10215 24990 22385 47434 45086 96605 95227
Drinking and household needs 2002 2018 600 895 128 204 619 760 623 558 3002 2870 4972 5287
Industry 2002 2018 2937 5536 77 82 392 348 1700 1523 4727 4852 9833 12341
Energy 2002 2018 65430 66650 3186 2739 na na 2860 na 64 130
Note: * Due to lack of accurate accounting of water withdrawal for energy sector, total water use is estimated excluding the energy sector. The year 2002 is chosen for comparison since 2000 and 2001 were extremely dry. Figures in the Table characterize water withdrawals at province boundaries. Source: The data of CA experts involved in the work on the Diagnostic Report
More detailed analysis of water withdrawal and general water balance is made for the Aral Sea basin. The water withdrawal in the basin has decreased by 12 km3 from 119 km3/year right since independence due to the decline in all economic sectors. Further, over 2000-2018, water withdrawal averaged 106 km3, including 90.1 km3 for irrigation. In dry years, water withdrawal decreased to: 100.4 km3 (81.3 km3 for irrigation) in 2000 and 96.7 km3 (77.5 km3 for irrigation) in 2008. There was also a period of time (2002– 2005), when water withdrawal increased to 111 – 121 km3/year.
OVERVIEW OF THE USE AND MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES IN CENTRAL ASIA © OECD 2020
