President chairs a meeting on improving drinking water supply system

On February 8, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a meeting on improving the drinking water supply in the regions.

This issue is a priority in all social programs. Over the past five years, 10 trillion UZS have been allocated for this area, or 5 times more funds than in previous years. During this period, 6.5 million people received access to a centralized drinking water supply for the first time.

In particular, 474 facilities were built in 2021 and about 6.3 thousand kilometers of water supply networks were laid. The provision of water to more than 2 million residents of 592 mahallas has been improved.

At the same time, unresolved problems remain in the sphere. Thus, the level of drinking water supply in Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya and Jizzakh regions is less than 60 percent. This figure is below 30 percent in Guzar, Dehkanabad, Kasan, Sherabad, Angor, Gallaral and Khatirchi districts.

Therefore, in the next five years, it is planned to invest 40 trillion UZS in the sphere, to increase the supply of drinking water to 90 percent, and the coverage of sewerage to 35 percent. This year, 2 trillion UZS will be allocated from the budget for these purposes and $245 million will be attracted.

The Head of the state stressed that the main attention will be paid to areas with a low level and quality of water supply.

Thus, there is no centralized water supply system in 1,545 mahallas. Responsible persons were instructed to study the possibilities available in them and take measures to organize their water supply in one of the following three ways. First, a centralized water supply can be established in mahallas with the necessary infrastructure. The second method is the construction of wells where there are underground reserves of freshwater. The third is that in villages where there is no possibility of constructing wells and laying networks, it is possible to build large capacity reservoirs that will be filled with imported water.

Measures have been identified to attract the private sector to these works. For the construction of water management facilities, the purchase of special machinery and equipment, entrepreneurs will be allocated subsidies to cover the costs of loans in the part exceeding the 14 percent rate. Customs duties on imported equipment and machinery will be abolished. The rate of income, property, land and social tax for water supply enterprises with the participation of the private sector will be set at 1 percent. The amount of payment for private water supply services in mahallas will be determined in consultation with local councils.

Based on this, the task was set to simplify the procedure for placing social orders, selecting private partners and financing projects.

It was instructed to develop a separate program for Kashkadarya region, where the indicator of drinking water supply – 42 percent – is the lowest in the country.

The need for providing drinking water to 2,000 kindergartens, schools and medical institutions in the next two years was emphasized, and sources of funding for this work were identified.

As is known, projects in this sphere are mainly developed by engineering companies of Uzsuvtaminot JSC. Now, to activate the work, engineering companies in the regions will be transferred to the regional hokimiyats. The development of design estimates, the identification of contractors and the opening of financing will also be carried out in the regions. The Ministry of Housing and Communal Services and Uzsuvtaminot JSC will determine technical requirements for projects, conduct expertise and will be responsible for the operation of facilities.

Issues of protection of rivers and underground water resources were considered at the meeting.

1.5 thousand out of 8 thousand wells operating today are in a worn-out condition. As a result, the water supply of 2 million residents in almost 800 mahallas has deteriorated. The groundwater level in these settlements has decreased to 30 meters from the surface due to drilling wells in the fields in Zaamin, Nurata and Kushrabat districts, uncontrolled and indiscriminate extraction of sand and gravel from Zarafshan and Chirchiq rivers.

In this regard, it was determined that from now on the identification and drilling of water wells will be carried out only by the State Committee on Geology. Responsible agencies have been instructed to conduct an inventory of wells and restore strict order on the banks of rivers.

The improvement of the system of operation in districts is also an urgent task. There is no special equipment in many districts.

In this regard, the importance of expanding the capabilities of district water supply organizations was noted. Thus, the authority to determine the list of paid services and the funds received from them will be transferred to district water supply organizations. A system of allocating funds from district and city budgets to local enterprises of Suvtaminot for the repair of drinking water networks, the elimination of accidents and the purchase of special equipment will be introduced.

Instructions were given to expand sewerage networks in 28 large and medium-sized cities, including Bukhara, Jizzakh, Gulistan, Shirin and Yangiyer. It was noted that it is necessary to erect local treatment facilities in “Yangi O’zbekiston” neighborhoods.

Responsible persons of the sphere and hokims provided information on the issues discussed at the meeting.