DUSHANBE, June 6, 2009, Asia-Plus — The Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC) continues the implementation of the European Union project “Harmonization and Approximation of Water Standards and Norms in Central Asia” to support Central Asian countries to tackle the issues on the worsening quality of surface water in the region, press release issued by the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC) on June 5 said.
The regulatory and institutional mechanisms for management of water quality and the existing constraints in monitoring and assessment of the quality of water were discussed at the first regional meeting within the framework of this project. National experts developed “Analysis report on water quality standards, norms and issues for Tajikistan” to be discussed by all participants at the meeting.
Representatives of international organizations, project teams as well as the state authorities in charge of environmental protection, water resources management and hydrometeorology of Tajikistan participated in the meeting.
The scarcity of the available water resources in the region is aggravated by the growing needs of production, water sharing problems between the countries as well as significant transportation losses. The industrial, municipal and agricultural pollution of water sources causes reduction in the quality of life of the population and degradation of water ecosystems. Protection and improvement of the quality of surface water is a challenge for the authorities in Central Asia. Important measures such as adoption of mutual commitments on adequate water management policy need to be taken to ensure safety of trans-boundary waters. The worsening quality of water affects various social aspects including health of population, quality of agricultural production and water ecosystems.
The CAREC water initiatives support program has been created with the objective to establish multi- sectoral regional collaboration in water resources management and sustainability of ecosystems in water basins. The Program includes the introduction of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Central Asia; provides assistance to regional collaboration on water management and trans-boundary water resources management (TWRM); improvement of water use efficiency in Central Asia; decrease the level of contaminants in the surface and underground drinking water; the harmonization of standards and policies on water management in Central Asia.
