Prime Minister: Water tariffs for Bishkek residents should be increased

12:12, 23 июля 2018, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Tatyana KUDRYAVTSEVA

The Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Mukhammedkaly Abylgaziev supported the increase in the tariffs for cold water for Bishkek residents. The Prime Minister said this during a meeting on the implementation of Ala-Too Bulagy program on the supply of the country’s settlements with drinking water.

Director of the Department for Development of Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation of the State Agency for Architecture, Construction, Housing and Communal Services Askarbek Toktoshev said that about $94 million were provided for the development of water supply in the regions of Kyrgyzstan. As of today, two projects have been implemented, aimed at development and improvement of rural water supply and sanitation within the framework of Ala-Too Bulagy program.

«The program covers practically all populated areas, which have problems with access to clean drinking water. Water supply systems are planned to be built in 115 villages of the republic. We will be able to cover about 300,000 people. In addition, all social institutions will be connected to water supply. New sanitary facilities will be built or existing will be rehabilitated at schools. The projects will be implemented with the financial support of the World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank,» told Askarbek Toktoshev.

The head of government, in his turn, noted that all projects to ensure clean drinking water supply in the regions of the country should be completed within the set deadlines.

«Errors made during the implementation of Taza Suu program should not be repeated. One cubic meter of water costs a Bishkek resident 5.38 soms, while the cost of the service costs 7.7 soms. A liter of water in a plastic bottle costs more than 20 soms. It should not be so. It is necessary to conduct explanatory work among the population. If we want to improve the water supply system everywhere, the issue of tariff revision will be inevitable. The funds raised will be used to build and rehabilitate the existing infrastructure to provide all regions of the country with clean drinking water,» Mukhammedkaly Abylgaziev stressed.