A video has surfaced online featuring a resident of a Kazakhstani village discussing the issue of water supply. Despite advancements in modern technology, the problem of water provision in the village remains unresolved, as detailed by Tengri Life.
The clip was shared on Instagram by photographer and traveler Yerner Almakbek. He spoke with a woman named Gulnara, who confessed that she has to carry buckets of water home herself, as there is still no established water supply. She noted that she goes to fetch water early in the morning, before the livestock heads to drink, to a small river. Gulnara lives in the village of Topkaiyn (Топқайың) in the Katon-Karagai district of the East Kazakhstan region.
There are over a thousand comments under the author's posts, with many users expressing outrage that the issue remains unresolved.
"Author, may your story reach those who drill wells abroad, and bring water to every home! Huge thanks to Yerner! This photo took me back to my childhood, I even got teary-eyed," "The authorities must resolve this issue immediately!" "In the 21st century, the lack of water in our villages is certainly disheartening," – noted people in the comments.
Yerner Almakbek shared with us that he filmed this footage around mid-January, but only recently decided to publish it. The video was shot in the village of Topkaiyn (Топқайың) in the Katon-Karagai district of East Kazakhstan.
"I went to capture beautiful shots of winter Altai. I filmed several auls, including the native village of writer Oralhan Bokei (Оралхан Бөкей) – Shyngystai. On my way from Katon-Karagai to Ust-Kamenogorsk, I decided to stop by the writer Kalikhan Ysqak's hometown, which is along the road. When I entered the village, I noticed that the mobile connection was weak. I arrived in the village early in the morning. My colleague and I saw a pump where a man was standing with a jug. After talking with the locals, we learned that this is the only pump in the village, and there is no piped water in homes," – he noted.
According to him, he then decided to drive around the village and noticed a small river not far from the settlement.
"We stopped by it, and at that moment, a woman came out of her house with a yoke and two buckets. I immediately took a photo of her from a distance, then approached and started asking questions. The woman’s name is Gulnara, she is 72 years old. In the past, she worked as a teacher and is now retired. She shared that she and her neighbors have to take water from the river, as the only pump is far away. The round trip to fetch water takes about two hours, plus they have to wait in line. When asked if the water in the river is clean, Gulnara-apai replied: "Who has checked it? No one knows." She also mentioned that she goes for water early in the morning to make it back before the livestock arrives for watering," – continued Yerner Almakbek.
As the photographer stated, there has never been piped water in the village, however, judging by old Soviet documents, water supply does exist.
"After our conversation, I took several photos of Gulnara-apai. Later, she treated me to tea. At home, I learned that she also makes soap from herbs. It was a very heartfelt trip. But I wish the local administration would pay attention to their problem and resolve it. Many residents are simply waiting for water," – he added.
Under a similar post on TikTok, we found a comment from the local administration.
"622 million tenge has been allocated for the water supply project in the village. As of today, there are 77 million tenge remaining for 2025. Last year, a tripartite memorandum was signed with the contractor QazConstruction, and work is ongoing. By the end of 2024, the installation of water pipes to the boundaries of the subscribers' homes within the village will be completed. The full completion of the project is scheduled for June 30, 2025," – stated the message from the Katon-Karagai district administration.
To clarify the details regarding the amounts and deadlines, we will send a request to the local administration. Tengri Life continues to monitor the developments, so stay tuned for our updates.
