Billions spent for water and sewerage problems in Azerbaijan

Recent torrential rains have once again highlighted the chronic water and sewage management issues in Azerbaijan, particularly affecting the Binagadi and Absheron districts. Residents, weary from years of similar occurrences, voice frustrations over damaged properties and unmet governmental promises.

In the aftermath of a heavy rainfall on May 6, neighborhoods like the Bilajari settlement in Baku faced significant flooding. Resident Mahir Mammadov shared with Azadligradios his ordeal, stating, "It has rained, my house is in water, and my furniture has been damaged. This situation has been going on for years." Despite repeated complaints to authorities, promises of repair and maintenance of sewage systems remain unfulfilled.

Baku's sewage system illustrates a stark disparity in service coverage. While the central city enjoys full sewage services, peripheral districts such as Binagadi, Sabunchu, Surakhani, Garadagh, and Khazar have only partial coverage. In some rural areas, access drops to a mere 25 percent.

Significant efforts to upgrade the infrastructure began in 2006-2007, highlighted by major projects like the reconstruction of the Hovsan Treatment Plant and Zig Pump Station No. 2. Funded by a 35 million euro loan from France and 44.9 million Manats from the Azerbaijani budget, these projects aim to bolster the capacity of the sewage system.

Over the years, substantial funds have been allocated for the enhancement of water and sewage systems in Baku. In 2017, President Ilham Aliyev ordered the reconstruction of systems in Sabunchu and Surakhani districts with an allocation of 3.73 million Manats to Azersu OJSC. Furthermore, 13.32 million Manats were directed to develop new networks in ten Baku settlements.

Currently, projects worth 2.7 billion Manats are underway, yet Zaur Mikayilov, chairman of the State Water Resources Agency, estimates that a staggering 20 billion Manats are necessary to fully address the water and sewage issues in Baku and the broader Absheron peninsula.

Economist Natig Jafarli points to the rapid construction during the late 1990s and early 2000s as a root cause of today's problems. The existing infrastructure, comprising separate lines for household and rainwater waste left from Soviet times, was overwhelmed by the construction boom. "The sewerage system of Baku, designed for two million people, was forced to serve almost twice as much population," Jafarli explained.

Plans according to the Master Plan include the construction of over 900 km of rainwater lines in the Absheron district. However, funding remains a contentious issue, with estimates for necessary reconstruction reaching as high as $8-10 billion—a financial challenge that remains daunting for the government.

As Azerbaijan grapples with these infrastructural challenges, the immediate need for robust solutions becomes increasingly apparent, not only to improve living conditions but also to prepare for future environmental contingencies.