Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev was presented with detailed information on the progress of efforts to expand drinking water supply and sewage networks, which remain one of the priority areas directly affecting the quality of life and health of the population.

Within the framework of ongoing social and regional programs, construction and reconstruction of a significant number of infrastructure facilities continue. To date, 81 percent of settlements across the country have access to drinking water, while sewage systems cover 20 percent of the territory.

For the current year, it is planned to lay 1,619 kilometers of water supply networks and 521 kilometers of sewage networks, as well as to construct and renovate 162 facilities. As a result of these measures, 715,000 people will gain access to quality drinking water for the first time, and sewage services will become available to 675,000 residents.

Responsible officials reported on the progress of the planned projects. In cooperation with international financial institutions, 21 major projects are underway. In 2025, it is expected to allocate financing of 800 million US dollars and commission 138 hydraulic engineering structures.

Special attention was given to successful collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and the German Development Bank, with whom an effective pre-project financing mechanism has been developed. Thanks to the preliminary selection of contractors and designers, the start of practical work has been significantly accelerated, a practice recognized as advisable to apply in all future projects.

To digitalize the water supply system, financing of 125 million US dollars is being attracted from the Asian Development Bank. Within this project, over the next five years, approximately 4,800 “smart” meters and about 3,000 telemetry systems will be installed at key water facilities and main pipelines, which will enhance resource management efficiency.

Given the active development of international cooperation and public-private partnerships in this area, the importance of training qualified specialists with the necessary knowledge and skills, meeting modern industry requirements, was emphasized.