A draft document on the rules for transporting drinking water in Uzbekistan has been announced.

The document states that while 77.1% of the population is supplied with drinking water, 10% depend on water delivered through transportation. However, the processes of delivering and retailing drinking water by vehicle are not regulated, resulting in cases where consumers receive water of unguaranteed quality and with undefined delivery times.

Uncertainties remain regarding the source of the delivered drinking water, whether the transportation vehicle and its water capacity meet sanitary requirements, and whether the supplied water meets state standards.

Additionally, due to the lack of regulation, there is a growing "shadow economy" with various individuals and entities selling drinking water in various capacities without state registration.

To combat these negative situations, the main requirements for transporting drinking water were outlined in the 10th chapter of the "Law on Drinking Water Supply and Sewage," which came into effect on October 24, 2022. The decision aims to regulate all stages of water delivery and retail by transportation.

In particular, requirements are being defined for the operation of drinking water transportation and retail, requirements for the transport vehicles and personnel, activities of drinking water filling stations, the supply of drinking water to transport vehicles, guarantees for drinking water transportation, and the rights and obligations of service providers and consumers.

The anticipated results of adopting the project include:

- Ensuring guarantees for the population to receive safe and quality drinking water through transportation vehicles;
- Creating opportunities for business entities to engage in this type of activity and curbing the unregulated sale of drinking water in various capacities;
- Improving the quality of service for the over 3 million population supplied with transported drinking water.