Mirziyoyev objects to the officials of water management

The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, has expressed deep concern about the current situation in the country's water sector and has strongly criticized the officials responsible for this sector. He addressed these issues on October 20 during a video conference meeting that he chaired.

Over the last two years, a significant number of subsidies has been allocated to water management, including investments in water-saving technologies. However, it is disconcerting that 36 percent of the 39 billion cubic meters of water consumed last year were lost due to seepage in earthen canals and ditches.

Furthermore, it was reported that 5-6 billion cubic meters of water are being wasted and discharged into collectors, primarily due to outdated irrigation methods still being used on 70 percent of the land.

Currently, more than 5,000 pumps are in operation to irrigate 2.5 million hectares, consuming 7 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually. However, it is concerning that 80 percent of these pumps have been in use for 35-40 years and have exceeded their expected lifespan.

During the video conference meeting, several tasks were assigned to address these issues, including the reduction of water losses by concreting the channels, replacing outdated pumps with energy-efficient models, and the installation of automated meters at water facilities.