President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a resolution on May 7 outlining the priority areas for the implementation and development of a modern water management system. The Ministry of Water Resources is designated as the state body responsible for maintaining a unified water balance across all sources and coordinating efforts to organize and maintain a state water cadastre.
The main areas of focus for the ministry will include:
- Ensuring water security through effective management of transboundary and internal rivers, reservoirs, and creating sufficient water reserves in natural lakes, water structures, and underground sources.
- Developing irrigation and drainage systems to provide uninterrupted water supply to consumers across all sectors of the economy.
- Establishing a transparent water resource management system and water accounting using digital technologies.
- Wide implementation of modern resource-saving technologies, scientific advancements, and innovations.
- Increasing the efficiency of water resource utilization through the widespread adoption of market mechanisms in water use and resource management.
- Conducting scientific research aimed at enhancing the economic efficiency of rational water use and water management facilities.
- Implementing systematic work to ensure the safety of water management facilities.
- Developing interstate relations on the use of transboundary water resources.
Within the structure of the Ministry of Water Resources, the following entities will be established:
- Agency for the Operation of Water Management Facilities
- Department for the Implementation of Water Management Projects
- Central Dispatch and Water Balance Service
- Center for Water Management Reforms
- Khorezm Scientific Research Center for Water Issues
- State Institution for the Implementation of Market Mechanisms in Water Management
The Ministry of Water Resources will be reorganized by dividing it into upper, middle, and lower tiers. Starting from July 1, employees of the ministry and its affiliated organizations will receive increased tariff coefficients, with monthly bonuses based on length of service added from 2025 onwards.
By August 15, the Cabinet of Ministers of Karakalpakstan and the regional hokimiyats must allocate land from the natural water fund to relevant user organizations under the Ministry of Water Resources for permanent use. The Ministry of Water Resources is also designated as the entity representing the state for the organizations "UzGIP" and "Suvloyikha."
Any interference by third parties, including local government bodies, in the activities of the ministry and its affiliated organizations regarding water resource management is prohibited. By July 20, a draft government resolution will be developed to revoke the authority of hokimiyats to transfer plots of coastal territories to users and tenants.
Furthermore, water intake limits, prioritized for the population and economic sectors, including agriculture, will be set after approval by district councils of people's deputies. As of January 1, the use of underground water intake structures without water metering devices is prohibited in Uzbekistan. Responsible ministries and departments are tasked with conducting a complete inventory of groundwater wells within a three-month period. Legal measures, including restricting access to water until meters are installed, will be taken in cases where water meters are not installed (excluding individual groundwater intake of up to 5 cubic meters per day for personal and household needs of individuals).
