Amidst increasing global freshwater shortages, Kazakhstan is taking an important step toward sustainable energy development. The Committee for Technical Regulation and Metrology of the Republic of Kazakhstan has approved the national standard ST RK ISO 4789:2025 "Guidelines for Wastewater Treatment and Reuse in Thermal Power Plants," identical to the international standard ISO 4789:2023. This is the first document of its kind introduced in the country, and it sets new benchmarks for water use in the energy sector.

Water scarcity is becoming one of the most pressing global challenges today. Growing populations, urbanization, and industrial growth are driving enormous demand for water resources. Research shows that thermal power plants consume approximately half of all industrial water withdrawals globally, meaning that as energy production grows, pressure on water resources will only increase. Despite the rapid development of renewable energy, in 2020, 64% of the world's electricity was still generated from fossil fuels.

Thermal power plants remain the largest users of water and sources of wastewater containing a wide range of chemical and organic contaminants. Their untreated discharge poses a serious threat to ecosystems and the health of water bodies. Reusing treated wastewater at thermal power plants is not just a technological solution, but a strategy that offers a double benefit: water conservation and environmental protection.

Many countries are already moving in this direction. In the United States, China, Japan, and several countries, programs are being implemented under the auspices of the International Energy Agency to stimulate wastewater recycling and transition to zero-liquid-discharge systems. The implementation of the Kazakhstan standard ST RK ISO 4789:2025 reflects the same global trend. It aims to improve water use efficiency, implement advanced membrane, biological, and chemical treatment technologies, and create conditions for wastewater reuse in production cycles.

This step will not only help reduce water consumption in the energy sector but also strengthen the industry's environmental sustainability, ensuring a balance between industrial development and the conservation of natural resources. Kazakhstan is thus joining the ranks of countries setting a new standard for environmental responsibility in the 21st-century energy sector.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mti-ktrm/press/news/details/1104419?lang=kk