Over 31,000 Karakalpakstan residents gain access to clean drinking water
More than 31,300 people in Karakalpakstan’s Nukus district have gained access to clean drinking water under an Asian Development Bank (ADB) project to improve water supply systems in western Uzbekistan.
The project covers six districts of Karakalpakstan: Amudarya, Beruniy, Nukus, Karauzyak, Kungrad and Muynak. Its main objective is to bring running water directly into people’s homes.
In some villages of the autonomous republic, residents still rely on wells and carry water home using shoulder yokes.
Funding and implementation in Nukus district
A separate contract worth approximately $11.4mn has been allocated to improve water supply infrastructure in Nukus district. The agreement, titled Water Supply System Improvement in Nukus District, was signed on 22 February 2023.
The contractor is Azerbaijan Research and Production Association, while Uzbekistan’s state-owned water utility Uzsuvtaminot is the executing agency.
Project budget and objectives
The ADB has provided a $145mn concessional loan to develop water supply systems in western Uzbekistan. The total project cost is estimated at $172.3mn, including a $27.3mn contribution from the Uzbek government.
According to the bank, the project is expected to improve access to drinking water for 388,000 residents across 116 rural settlements in the six districts.
The programme includes the construction and reconstruction of three water treatment plants, approximately 300 km of main water pipelines and another 900 km of distribution networks.
Four new water distribution facilities will be built, while 24 existing facilities will be upgraded. Water meters will also be installed to monitor consumption.
The project aims to reduce water losses and improve the efficiency of local water utilities through digital metering and control systems, pipeline monitoring technology and electronic management tools.
Contracts worth a combined $136.22mn have been signed under the regional project, representing 94% of the ADB loan. Actual disbursements have reached $84.68mn, equivalent to 58% of the loan.
Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that the ADB would provide Uzbekistan with a $200mn loan to modernise its electricity distribution networks.
