EBRD releases new funds to complete overhaul of Shymkent water utility
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has released fresh funds to complete the refurbishment of water and wastewater facilities in Shymkent, Kazakhstan.
Local utility Vodnye Resursy Marketing will now finalise its programme to provide high-quality water supply services to nearly one million inhabitants of the city.
The bank’s latest disbursement in Kazakh tenge equivalent to €2.5 million will contribute to VRM’s modernisation programme and will bring the EBRD’s total funding for the only privately owned operator of water utilities in Kazakhstan to almost €50 million since 2009. Over this period, VRM has used the bank’s funds to modernise Shymkent’ s wastewater infrastructure, including the construction of an EU regulation-compliant biogas plant as well as the upgrading of a wastewater treatment plant and the collection network.
The utility has introduced an automated monitoring system for water and wastewater, replaced more than 171km of the water distribution network, carried out energy efficiency modernisation at 12 pumping stations and upgraded 11 electricity-powered substations.
