Assessing the Impact of Water Integration on Water Resource Management in Central Asia─A Case Study of Kazakhstani Industry

This study presents a pioneering attempt to employ a water allocation optimization modeling coupled with a cost-based quantitative–qualitative water footprint (QQWF) approach in a Central Asian country, using the oil refinery industry of Kazakhstan as a representative case study. The QQWF method assesses the costs of water consumption and contamination removal associated with refining one ton of crude oil, considering scenarios of increased tariffs, mathematical optimization, and enhanced water regeneration efficiency. Results show that the state-of-the-art water consumption (32.8%) contributed less to the total QQWF (0.67 USD) than contaminant removal costs (67.2%). Hydrocarbon removal accounted for 71.1% of the qualitative footprint, highlighting the considerable loading of crude oil residues in the wastewater. Scenario simulations revealed a substantial increase (15.6-fold) in the QQWF under increased water tariffs, suggesting the potential of economic instruments for water conservation. Improved efficiency of water regeneration units could achieve a 12% reduction in the QQWF, underlining the importance of wastewater treatment technologies for promoting water reuse within industries. The findings demonstrated the importance of robust, comprehensive incentives to drive the shift toward sustainable water use in industry, particularly within the context of Kazakhstan and Central Asian economies.