Water supply

  What is the general situation with the ISSUE?

                 What is the general situation with water quality? 

     Surface water quality. Surface water quality is controlled by the State Enterprise for Meteorology at the Ministry of Ecology and Emergencies. Control is done only at the Alamedin (1 km north from the city) and Ala Archa (4 km south from the city) rivers. The surface water quality is evaluated in conformity with the national system of maximum allowable concentration standards regulating normal concentrations for surface water used for drinking, domestic, cultural and fishery purposes. Of all the normal values the strictest one is used.

     Ground water quality. The water quality control in sources and water pumping points (taps, water-pumps, 386 control points altogether) is done by the laboratories of Bishkekvodokanal and the City Sanitary and Epidemiological Station in conformity with potable water requirements. On the whole, the ground water quality meets the standards. At times pollution of water by chromium is recorded. The content of nitrates of organic origin is high. For example, in the Orto Alysh water intake their content has grown from 5 mg/l (1991) to 20 mg/l, and in some areas it reaches 60 mg/l. The microbial contamination of water sources is on the level of 0.5 –1.8% of analyses; the secondary microbial contamination is 2.5 – 4.3%.