Comprehensive environmental studies conducted in Shymkent in August raised concerns about the state of natural water bodies and the city's territory. One-time water samples were taken from the Koshkarata, Karasu, Badam, and Sairamsu rivers, as well as the Kos-diirmen, Togys, Tekesu, and BMC canals, and found that they contained pollutants that were much higher than the permissible norm.

Of particular concern to environmentalists is the Koshkarata River. This river is not only an important part of the city's ecosystem, but also a favorite vacation spot for residents. About six thousand people swim here during the week, and on weekends this figure almost doubles. However, as the number of vacationers increases, the amount of garbage here also increases. During one environmental campaign alone, about 25 thousand tons of garbage were collected and removed from the riverbank.

According to Sabyr Balybek, acting head of the city's Ecology Department, the main reason for the pollution of the Koshkarata River is that many houses located along the river are not connected to the centralized sewage system. In addition, the river passes through densely populated areas and the direct discharge of untreated water from irrigation systems also complicates the situation.

The situation in other rivers and canals of the city is also not satisfactory. The results of water samples taken from the last points showed that the amount of pollutants exceeded the norm. This highlights the urgent need to improve the city's sewage system, water treatment infrastructure, and water management.

In July, a satellite survey was conducted over the city with the support of the Kazakhstan Space Trip National Company and the Department of Ecology. From July 8 to 14, specialists identified 46 illegal garbage dumps. 26 of them are in the Karatau district, the rest are in the Turan and Enbekshi districts - six each, in the Abai district - five, and in the Al-Farabi district - three.

Official letters were sent to the district akimats for each identified fact. Although some garbage dumps have been removed, the work on cleaning up the rest is still ongoing. During a joint inspection with the city and district prosecutor's offices, an additional 35 illegal garbage sites were registered. According to the conclusions of the Department of Ecology, a case was initiated against the responsible persons of the akimats of Abay, Karatau and Enbekshi districts under Article 324 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Compared to previous years, it is noticeable that unauthorized garbage dumps and pollution of rivers and lakes are a permanent problem. In the past, several environmental campaigns were held in Shymkent, during which dozens of illegal garbage dumps were eliminated. However, the effect of such measures is temporary, new garbage dumps appear again, and the level of pollution in the rivers remains unchanged.

In previous years, the city authorities have implemented projects to improve the irrigation system, clean canals, and install additional filtration facilities. These measures have significantly improved water quality, especially in areas close to agricultural lands. However, in recent years, the load on the irrigation network has increased, and wastewater flow control has become inadequate.

A separate problem is the discharge of domestic wastewater and garbage from private homes and businesses directly into rivers and canals. While in the past, in such cases, the emphasis was often on garbage collection, now experts are emphasizing the need to build a centralized sewage system and modernize existing treatment facilities.

Experts believe that raising the environmental awareness of residents also plays an important role in keeping rivers clean. Cities that understand the value of water resources have significantly fewer cases of illegal dumping and coastal pollution.

Therefore, the environmental situation in Shymkent requires urgent and comprehensive measures. Not only the elimination of garbage dumps and cleaning of rivers and lakes, but also long-term solutions - the construction of sewerage systems, the modernization of irrigation infrastructure, and the strengthening of wastewater control - should be the main focus.

As the experience of past years has shown, positive results can be achieved through systematic work. For example, in 2018–2019, as a result of the joint work of ecologists and municipal services, the level of pollution in some canals decreased, and a number of garbage dumps were completely eliminated. However, constant monitoring and a lack of sufficient funding did not allow these achievements to be maintained for a long time.

Today, the city faces the task of restoring the ecological condition of not only the Koshkarata River, but also other water bodies and ensuring their cleanliness in the future. This requires coordinated action by environmental services, akimats, law enforcement agencies and city residents. Only an integrated approach will solve current problems and prevent their recurrence.