Uzbekistan has made substantial investment in upgrading its water supply and sanitation services in recent years. From 1995 to 2014, total public borrowing for improvements to these services amounted to US$ 344.1 million, the largest of any country in Central Asia.

Towns and villages across Syrdarya Region are currently supplied water through regional transmission schemes, or from around 250 individual wells which have reached a state of acute disrepair, resulting in a breakdown of piped water supply in many communities. It is estimated that 25% of the settlements receive no piped water and have to rely on water tankers.

Out of those settlements that have access to piped water, only about 10% receive 24-hour service; for all others, the service is unsafe and costly, with consumers having to invest time and money in alternative supplies, including drawing raw water from irrigation canals. This situation affects women and children the most – those who typically collect the water.

The US$ 100 mln Syrdarya Water Supply Project supported by the World Bank (US$ 88 mln), aims to improve the situation in the Province and provide access to safe drinking water for its approximately 280,000 residents. The Project will improve the availability, quality and sustainability of public water supply services in the least served communities of Sardoba, Bayaut, Mirzaobad, Akaltyn and Khavast districts of Syrdarya Province.

Upon completion, the Project will have significantly improved water supply service delivery, strengthened the capacity of water supply institutions, and enhanced the financial sustainability of water supply operations.

By 2019 it is expected that the expanded water supply infrastructure will provide around 47,000 households in 93 settlements across the five districts with access to water directly through individual metered connections. Water loss during delivery to users will be reduced from 40.2 to 14%, while daily consumption will increase from 15.2 liters to 95 liters per person in rural areas and to 125 liters per person in urban areas.

The Project envisages to develop new groundwater sources, with installation of more than 1,500 km of pipes, 40 water distribution centers, 32 water towers, and 2 modular facilities for chlorination disinfection of water across the Syrdarya Province.