'Now, thank God, we have water': Uzbekistan’s tap water reaches 83% of people, but gaps remain
Published on 2 November 2026 - 10:03 GMT+1 Uzbekistan has expanded its drinking water network considerably over the past decade. Yet despite increased investment and new...
Published on 2 November 2026 - 10:03 GMT+1
Uzbekistan has expanded its drinking water network considerably over the past decade. Yet despite increased investment and new infrastructure, access to centralised supplies remains uneven, particularly outside major urban centres.
According to government figures released in July 2026, nationwide coverage rose from 63 per cent in 2017 to 83 per cent, with around 39,000 kilometres of water networks built or reconstructed during that period.
The figures reflect a broader national investment programme combining government resources with financing from international institutions. One such initiative is underway in Karakalpakstan, an autonomous republic in northwestern Uzbekistan that includes part of the Aral Sea region.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing a $145 million (approximately €129.5mn) loan for a project covering six districts of the region. With a further $27.3mn (approximately €24.4mn) contribution from Uzbekistan, largely through tax and customs exemptions, the programme's total estimated cost is $172.3mn (approximately €153.9mn).
From communal taps to household water supplies
For Muslima Erimbetova, one of the residents interviewed in the region, the change is practical. Her household now receives water through the supply network.
"We used to carry water with a shoulder pole and containers. We collected it from neighbours and public taps. Now, thank God, we have water," she said.
Her experience comes from Nukus district, where the ADB-supported works include upgrades to water distribution facilities, pipelines and local water quality monitoring.
According to the regional water utility, more than 31,000 residents have benefited from the works, while the share of the district's population covered by the drinking water network has risen from 68 per cent to 90 per cent.
The improvements include a local water testing laboratory, reducing the need to transport samples to the regional capital for analysis.
Treatment capacity and the limits of water access
A new treatment plant has been commissioned in Mang‘it, drawing water from the Amu Darya River. According to the ADB, it currently supplies around 20 million litres of water a day, although it was designed to handle considerably more.
Sohib Akramov, the ADB's drinking water project coordinator in Uzbekistan, explained: "The capacity of 40,000 cubic metres was calculated based on projected population growth, business expansion and industrial development by 2040".
The distinction between production capacity and household connections is significant. Local officials reported that only around half of the population in the surrounding Amudaryo district had access to the drinking water network before the latest improvements.
A separate project involving approximately 355 kilometres of pipelines is under way, with the aim of raising coverage to 80 per cent once the planned works are completed.
The ADB is also discussing a proposed $200mn (approximately €178.6mn) project with the Uzbek government. According to Akramov, around $70mn (approximately €62.5mn) would be allocated to Karakalpakstan, including plans to reconstruct the Tuyamuyun water treatment plant.
