UNDP to reorganize the water economy of Kaahka
The United Nations Development Program, Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of Turkmenistan and the Global Environment Facility have launched one of the milestone infrastructure projects in the history of UNDP-Turkmenistan cooperation. The matter is the construction of a gravity-flowing Khivaabad-Kaakhka water conduit, which will run about 15 kilometers. The venue is Kaakhka town of Akhal province.
The chute will be built in the framework of the joint project "Effective use of energy and renewable energy sources for sustainable water management in Turkmenistan". It is expected to be commissioned next year.
Kaakhka, located at the foot of the Kopetdag Mountains in the country’s southern part, is an district center. The current population of the fast-growing town, including the surrounding villages, has reached 35,000 people. Daily consumption of tap water in Kaakhka is approximately 14,000 cubic meters, or about 165 liters per second.
About 40% of the water supply is provided by groundwater, pumped from 41 wells by electric pumps operating around the clock all 365 days.
The rest of the water comes directly from the Laiynsuv River through a 20-km separate canal, with 50% or 200 liters of water per second filtered through the gravel bed of the canal into the soil.
Under the project, the existing water supply system will be replaced by a non-pressure waterworks. The river water will flow through the pipeline without the help of pumps, but by gravity.
This will stop extracting water from underground sources, saving fuel and electricity due to pumps power cut.
According to preliminary estimates, there will be no need for further well operation for up to 10-15 years.
The new gravity water supply system will put an end to infiltration water losses.
“In the foothills of the Kopetdag there are several dozens of communities that could replicate the results of this project," says Mohammed Artykov, UNDP water project specialist. "Lessons learned from the experience of erecting a water conduit can also be applied in large-scale water management and agriculture throughout the country."
