plants in the cities of the Republic of Kazakhstan, focusing on economic assessment of the effectiveness of

integrated use of ecosystem solutions for surface (atmospheric) water collection. The study presents an analysis

of the impact of such solutions on reducing the burden on wastewater treatment plants and optimizing operating

costs. The authors consider different technologies and methods for surface water harvesting, including the use

of green spaces, ecosystem elements, and innovative engineering solutions. The paper emphasizes the

importance of considering economic aspects when deciding on the implementation of such ecosystem

approaches. It presents examples of countries that have implemented, or are currently implementing integrated

Received: May 16, 2024. Revised: September 27, 2024. Accepted: October 29, 2024. Published: November 26, 2024.

Water is one of the most important natural

resources, both for human domestic needs and as a

important for the infrastructure of cities and for the

safety of their inhabitants.

sewerage system in Kazakhstan, particularly in the

small towns and rural areas. This article highlights

the main methods of atmospheric water disposal

and analyses the status of the country's wastewater

treatment facilities. It also presents methods of

reducing the burden on wastewater treatment plants

using innovative technologies. A lack of organized

urban and industrial facilities.

The drainage system in residential and

industrial areas has evolved with the development

of infrastructure and the improvement of local

amenities.

centers. Closed systems, on the other hand, involve

the use of inlets and underground pipework and are

recommended for large cities because of their

durability and safety. Combined systems unite the

advantages of both types. Depending on the

connection and treatment requirements, connection

to the systems can be centralized, local, or a

combination of the two. In world practice, there are

three types of surface wastewater harvesting:

combined, separate and semi-separate systems, [1].

rainfall, water can be discharged into water basins

to reduce the load on the system. However, this

approach is not always in line with the principles of

sustainable urban development and environmental

safety.

pipelines to segregate domestic, industrial, and

rainwater sewage. There are two types of such

systems: complete and incomplete. The main

difference between them is whether the rainwater is

infrastructure designed to collect and dispose of

wastewater by combining rainwater and domestic

wastewater into a single network for further

disposal. Such systems may include elements of

both a combined system (where rainwater and

domestic wastewater are combined) and a separate

system (where the sewers are separated). Semi-

separate systems are often used in older sections of

cities where limited space makes it difficult to

create separate networks for rainwater and

collector. This method helps to relieve the system

during periods of heavy rainfall by separating the

flow and improving the efficiency of surface water

Kazakhstan, it is prohibited to discharge untreated

rainwater, snowmelt, and irrigation water from

agricultural areas and enterprises into water bodies,

[4]. The most polluted portion of surface runoff

from rain, snowmelt, and road washing must be

directed to treatment facilities. At least 70% of the

annual runoff from agricultural land and similarly

polluting industries, and all runoff from industries

where hazardous substances or organic compounds

may be used, should be directed to treatment

industrial areas into water bodies, it is necessary to

comply with the standards established by the

legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan for urban

wastewater discharge. Where separate sewerage

systems are used, surface water from the urban area

should be treated at local or centralized treatment

plants. Mechanical cleaning methods such as

grates, sand traps, settling tanks, and filters are

often used for this purpose. In some cases, it is

possible to treat surface, domestic, and industrial

the treatment process should follow the standard

methods used for municipal wastewater. The load

on the sewage treatment plant can be reduced by

the use of regulating tanks. The choice of surface

runoff diversion and treatment scheme and the

design of treatment facilities should be based on

qualitative and quantitative characteristics and

discharge conditions, taking into account the

technical and economic assessment of different

options.

Kazakhstan began building wastewater treatment

plants in the 1950s. Since then, mechanical

treatment plants have been put into operation in

major cities. Previously, wastewater was disposed

of in fields for filtration or discharged into water

52.2%. In some regions, including East Kazakhstan

Region, Karaganda Region, and Pavlodar Region,

this indicator is significantly higher than the

average level. For example, in the cities of

Kokshetau, Shalkar, Kapshagai, Semey, Ridder,

Karatau, Saran, Arkalyk, and Ekibastuz, the level

of wear and tear exceeds 90%.

has no sewage treatment facilities, and waste water

is dumped on fields to be filtered. In 2022, in

is 610.8 kilometers. These networks are designed to

divert surface runoff from the territory of more than

16,700 hectares. Nevertheless, these measures

were commissioned in autumn 2022 and completed

with landscape improvements in 2023. They are

designed to treat rain and snowmelt water before it

is discharged into the Esil River, replacing the

previous direct discharge. As the structure is

underground, a public garden has been created

above and the area has been landscaped.

The problems with stormwater drainage in the

special-purpose cities are indicative of the serious

problems in the single-industry cities of

the optimal treatment technology, according to the

Recommendations of the Construction Regulations

of the Republic of Kazakhstan 4.01-03-2011 Water

of contamination of roofs of buildings and

structures.

The amount of surface runoff from residential

and industrial areas during rainfall, snowmelt, and

street washing in each city in Kazakhstan varies

the MPC for pollutants exceeding the norms during

the formation of surface water flow are suspended

terms of BOD20 content.

pollution and contamination of river and lake

waters that serve as a source of drinking water and

recreational areas and leads to an intensification of

the flooding process in urbanized areas.

effect of reducing the concentration of suspended

solids and petroleum products by delaying the flow

in the storage tank for 1-3 days can reach 80-90%,

industrial sites. The residual content of dissolved

compounds in terms of COD and BOD20 may be

above the norm in spring and autumn - 113.6% and

112.2%, and below the norm in winter and summer

- 92.8% and 78.4%, respectively. In winter

2021/2022 (December 2021 - February 2022), the

average winter precipitation in Kazakhstan was

92.8 % of the norm. In the most part of the country,

precipitation was more than 80 % of the norm,

which is shown in Figure 3.

Karauyl in the Abay region (196%). These

indicators, as well as data from a number of

meteorological stations in the Kostanay and Atyrau

regions, allow characterizing the winter season in

dry conditions in a number of territories.

The spring season of 2022 also brought

interesting changes: on average, precipitation in

Kazakhstan was 114% of the norm. The

precipitation excess was especially felt in the

western and southern regions, with the exception of

the Kyzylorda region. In the western regions,

precipitation was twice as high as normal, reaching

204-280%. In the southern regions of Turkestan,

Zhambyl, Almaty, and Zhetysu regions, significant

at the Chapayevo weather station in the West

Kazakhstan region. Nevertheless, precipitation

deficits continued to prevail in the north and east of

the country, where the amount was only 26-79% of

the norm.

Insufficient precipitation was also observed in

some areas of the Kyzylorda and Karaganda

regions, confirming the complex climate dynamics

in Kazakhstan in recent years.

The summer and autumn seasons in

precipitation. Most of Kazakhstan's territory

experienced a precipitation deficit, with some

regions experiencing precipitation below 80% of

the norm. Particularly dry zones (less than 20% of

the norm) were recorded in Mangistau (only 9% of

the norm), Aktobe (15%), Kyzylorda (15-18%),

and Turkestan (12-15%) regions. A new minimum

of only 82.7 mm of precipitation was recorded at

the Narynkol weather station. In some parts of the

country, conditions were so extreme that they could

parts of the country there was excess precipitation,

[11].

including West Kazakhstan (132-188%) and

Mangistau (155-198%) regions, there was also an

excess of moisture. The southern regions did not

remain on the sidelines: in the Kyzylorda region,

the amount of precipitation reached 211% of the

norm, in Turkestan - 140-277%, in Zhambyl - 133-

167%, in Almaty - 136-191%, in Zhetysu region -

130-178% of the norm. As a result, according to

data from sixteen weather stations located in the

western, southern, and northern regions, autumn

different humidity and snow cover conditions.

Kazgidromet Republican State Enterprise carries

out observations of snow cover at meteorological

sites and on snow measuring routes and also uses

daily update period, spatial resolution of 1 km, and

an archive since 2000. Among the most informative

products for the conditions of Kazakhstan are:

Daily Snow Depth, Daily Snow Depth Anomaly,

Snow Water Equivalent, and Daily Snow Water

Equivalent Anomaly. Average values of snow

cover characteristics for the region(s) are based on

calculations using data determined on a regular grid

with a step of 1 km.

The pattern of the average snow depth during

March 2022.

Fig. 3: Geographical distribution of seasonal precipitation in Kazakhstan in 2022, in % of the norm for

the base period 1961-1990

Fig. 4: Average snow depth pattern

Table 1. Ten-day values of share (%) of snow coverage in the regions of Kazakhstan and its changes for the

average amount of precipitation across the country

is above normal, indicating a tendency for wetter

conditions during these periods. In contrast, the

winter and summer months are characterized by a

deficit of precipitation, especially in summer,

leading to dry conditions in some regions.

observed both increasing and decreasing in

and southern regions, precipitation is significantly

availability.

Changes in seasonal precipitation patterns can

entail various challenges such as water

management, dealing with droughts or excessive

precipitation, and adapting agriculture to new

conditions.

Analyses of the quality of surface wastewater

collected in large cities have revealed a high level

of pollution. The degree and nature of this pollution

condition and the level of improvement of the

impact. The amount of pollution entering surface

runoff water depends on the population, the degree

of landscaping, the frequency of street cleaning and

cause major flooding, destruction of irrigation

systems, breaches of dams, levees, and other

hydraulic structures, and millions of tenges in

damage. Breakthroughs destroy houses,

households, and industrial buildings, and can even

lead to loss of life.

experienced many large, destructive floods.

the West Kazakhstan region were flooded, 2,600

village of Bukhar-Zhyrau district of the Karaganda

region burst due to a sharp inflow of meltwater.

located in five districts of Akmola region, flooding

about 430 residential houses.

Temirtau, Shakhtinsk, and almost 50 settlements,

and two wintering areas in nine districts of

Karaganda region were flooded. More than 170 out

of 1,120 flooded houses were destroyed, a large

2,205,000,000.

the Sardoba reservoir in Uzbekistan burst, bringing

a large flood to the Maktaaral district of Turkestan

region.

meltwater in Aktobe, West Kazakhstan, Pavlodar

and Karaganda regions.

of Kazakhstan covered with snow is 72%. By

regions. These include, first of all, ten regions:

Karaganda, Akmola, North Kazakhstan, Kostanay,

Aktobe, West Kazakhstan, East Kazakhstan, Abay,

hydrometeorological phenomena, Figure 5.

Working with statistical data for Kazakhstan it

is possible to propose new technologies and

methods of surface water harvesting, including the

use of green spaces, ecosystem elements, and

innovative engineering solutions.

In the context of a changing climate, it is becoming

pavements, bioswales, rainwater harvesting

systems, green alleys, stormwater parks, and

reserves effectively counter stormwater pollution

and reduce flood risk while providing open spaces

for recreation and living, improving air quality,

regulating climate and contributing to an attractive

environment.

Rain gardens are an important component of a

Finland, rain gardens are widespread and utilized as

an important element of sustainable urban

development. Rain gardens play a key role in such

characterized by low winter temperatures and

significant snowfall, rain gardens need to be

adapted to the local weather conditions and use

plants that are well adapted to the local

environment.

following shrubs and herbs can be used to "drink"

excess water, facilitating the work of urban

drainage systems, [13]:

source of nectar for bees and other beneficial

insects.

Verbena and Melissa:

These plants love moist conditions and attract

butterflies and other beneficial insects. Verbena,

with its bright flowers, creates a beautiful

backdrop, while melissa adds fragrance and texture

to a rain garden.

Virginia Cypress and Lily of the Valley:

Virginia cypress will give the garden structure

with its fragrant flowers will beautify the garden

and add notes of delicacy.

Silverberry and Almond:

Willow and Daylily:

Willow, with its curved branches, will create a

cozy space in the rain garden and protect it from

the wind. The daylily, with its bright colors,

and flexible leaves, will add elegance and charm to

a rain garden.

These combinations can only serve as a starting

point. It is important to consider local conditions,

water availability, and lighting when selecting

plants and shrubs for a rain garden, [14], [15].

reduced by the removal of coarse impurities.

Sorption and ion exchange processes on the

filter media particles remove dissolved substances

in the surface runoff. Biological absorption,

decomposition, and binding of pollutants by plants

and biofilm, which is formed in the filter media and

on plant roots, play an important role in treatment.

During dry periods, the ultraviolet part of the sun's

rays helps to break down trapped organic

compounds and also has a disinfectant effect. The