Uzbekistan to Modernise 95 Pumping Stations

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Ministry of Water Resources of Uzbekistan, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD) have signed a memorandum of cooperation on preparing a project to modernise water infrastructure. The document provides for the upgrade of 95 pumping stations in Bukhara, Navoi, Kashkadarya, Samarkand and Surkhandarya regions.

The signing ceremony took place at the Tashkent International Investment Forum. The document was signed by Utkir Sheraliev, Deputy Minister of Water Resources of Uzbekistan, Alexey Skatin, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of the EDB, and Yaroslav Mandron, Managing Director of the EFSD.

The project aims to improve the efficiency of the country's water management system. The modernisation plans include the introduction of energy-efficient technologies, which will significantly reduce electricity consumption.

In addition, the infrastructure upgrade is expected to ensure more reliable water supply to agricultural land and create conditions for introducing digital systems to monitor and manage pumping stations in real time.

Utkir Sheraliev noted that modernising the pumping stations is important for water security and improving crop yields in the five regions. He said the introduction of digital technologies would take water resource management to a new level.

The EDB stressed the economic significance of the project. According to the bank's estimates, investment in water infrastructure has a strong multiplier effect: every dollar invested can generate up to three dollars in economic returns. Alexey Skatin said the modernisation of the 95 facilities would help ensure a stable water supply for agricultural land and reduce energy consumption.

Yaroslav Mandron, Managing Director of the EFSD, said the fund is considering ways to participate in preparing the project by providing technical and expert support, as well as exploring potential financing mechanisms.

During the discussion, it was also noted that modernising water infrastructure remains one of the key challenges for Central Asian countries. According to an EDB study, the wear level of water supply networks in the region reaches 80%, with water losses during transportation reaching as much as 55%. The annual financing gap in the water sector is estimated at US$2 billion.

The project is expected to improve the reliability of water supply to agricultural land, reduce energy costs, and lay the groundwork for further digitalisation of water resource management in Uzbekistan.