Environmental Impact of Wastewater on Surface and Groundwater in Central Asia

This review aims to increase attention on present water quality issues on Central Asia, finding gaps in the literature on ways to address treatment needs, and help ensure future use of Central Asia surface waters and groundwater for all beneficial uses. Central Asia is a landlocked region known for its harsh climatic conditions and scarce water resources, despite being home to some of the world’s largest internal drainage basins. The available literature suggests that increasing salinity has rendered water unsuitable for irrigation and consumption; hazardous trace elements are found throughout Central Asia, most often associated with mining and industrial sources; and that legacy pesticides influence water quality, particularly in agriculturally influenced basins. This study also focuses on the effects of municipal and industrial wastewater discharge. Additionally, the impact of inadequately treated wastewater on water resources is analyzed through a review of available data and reports regarding surface and groundwater quantity and quality. Given the challenges of water scarcity and accessibility, the reuse of treated wastewater is becoming increasingly important, offering a valuable alternative that necessitates careful oversight to ensure public health, environmental sustainability, and water security. However, due to insufficient financial and technical resources, along with underdeveloped regulatory frameworks, many urban areas lack adequate wastewater treatment facilities, significantly constraining their safe and sustainable reuse. Proper management of wastewater effluent is critical, as it directly influences the quality of both surface and groundwater, which serve as key sources for drinking water and irrigation. Due to their persistent and biologically active nature even at trace levels, we discuss contaminants of emerging concern such as antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, and modern agrochemicals. This review thus highlights gaps in the literature reporting on impacts of wastewater inputs to water quality in Central Asia. It is recommended that future research and efforts should focus on exploring sustainable solutions for water quality management and pollution control to assure environmental sustainability and public health.