“Smart” water meters to be mandatory in rice fields

Starting in 2027, the installation of “smart” water meters will be mandatory in rice paddies and aquaculture areas across Uzbekistan. This requirement is outlined in the Presidential Decree adopted on February 5, 2026, titled “On Additional Measures to Improve the Efficiency of Water Resource Use.”

According to the decree, a state-supported system will be introduced to encourage the use of water-saving technologies in agricultural production:

•  From 2027, the tax rate and subsidies for irrigated land will be determined based on water availability.
•  In areas with unreliable water supply, implementing water-saving technologies will increase eligible subsidies by a factor of 1.25.
•  In areas with stable water supply, failing to implement water-saving technologies will result in a doubled tax rate for water use.

Additionally, from 2027, entrepreneurs will be required to install smart water measurement and accounting devices at both the inlet of rice fields and the inlet and outlet points of aquaculture facilities. Failure to install these devices will result in a doubled tax rate for water use.

It is worth noting that earlier, Uzbekistan announced plans to increase access to drinking water to 85 percent of the population by 2030.