Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to automate Syrdarya water metering

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have reached an agreement to develop technical specifications for automating the metering of water in the Syrdarya River. The initiative was announced by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan.  

As part of the agreement, the two nations have identified 10 sites along the Syrdarya River basin where automated water metering systems will be installed. Five of these locations are in Kazakhstan, with the remaining five situated in Uzbekistan.  

To advance the project, the countries are currently engaging with international financial organizations. The development of general technical specifications is being supported by the **German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).  

“It should be noted that only the first 10 sites have been identified so far. In the long term, we aim to automate all major hydropoints and ensure complete transparency in water metering. This issue is also being actively promoted during our discussions with Kyrgyz and Tajik colleagues,” said Nurlan Aldamzharov, Kazakhstan's Deputy Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation.  

Earlier, former Kyrgyz Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov highlighted the possibility of Kyrgyzstan reducing water supplies to neighboring countries to preserve Issyk-Kul. He emphasized that discussions are ongoing with both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to address this concern.  

This collaborative effort between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan marks a significant step toward improved water management in the Syrdarya River basin, a crucial resource for Central Asia.