The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a loan of $105.3 million to restore and expand the regional water supply system in the Yangiyul and Chinaz districts of the Tashkent region in Uzbekistan, which will provide safe drinking water to over 220,000 people. This was reported in the press service of the organization.
Tashkent region, producing almost 25% of the gross domestic product of the country, suffers from widespread restrictions on urban services, especially in the field of water supply and sanitation.
Most of the Soviet-era water supply and sanitation infrastructure is worn out and outdated: about 80% of residents of the Yangiyul and Chinaz districts do not receive municipal water supply and are forced to buy or receive unsafe water from various sources.
“Reliable and safe water supply and sanitation service is crucial for a growing area like Tashkent Province, particularly in its importance in the overall economy and development of Uzbekistan,” said ADB Senior Urban Development Specialist for Central and West Asia Mr. Jung Ho Kim.
At the same time, as he noted, “ADB’s loan to expand and rehabilitate WSS services in the two districts will not only provide safe drinking water but also improve the quality of life of residents in Tashkent Province.”
The Second Tashkent Province Water Supply Development Project will finance the rehabilitation and improvement of the VU-1 regional water supply system in Tashkent Province. This includes the construction of 65 kilometers (km) of transmission mains; 27 km of distribution mains; 540 km of distribution network; 37 water reservoirs; 22 water distribution centers; 5 pressure towers; 2 administration buildings; 2 water quality laboratories; 37,500 metered water supply connections; and 4,000 individual wastewater disposal systems—which is a first in Uzbekistan.
ADB’s assistance include the initiation of smart technology features including supervisory control and data acquisition, geographic information system, and meters for improved billing and increased revenue. This is on top of a pilot public-private partnership initiative to invite private contractors to carry out operation and maintenance of water supply facilities in some settlements.
Total cost of the project is $124.7 million, with the Government of Uzbekistan contributing $19.4 million. The project is expected to be completed by August 2025.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. In 2018, it made commitments of new loans and grants amounting to $21.6 billion. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.
