The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $125 million loan to support the Government of Uzbekistan in its efforts to modernize the water management sector, improve water security, and increase access to safe and reliable water supply in the country, the bank's press service said.
The Climate-Resilient Smart Water Management Project will improve asset management and the sustainability of service delivery, and strengthen the institutional capacity of the national water utility. It will also lead to more effective decision-making and increased efficiency in water management and energy use, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation, the statement said.
“Uzbekistan’s water resources are under serious threat from climate change and inefficient use,” said ADB Country Director for Uzbekistan Kanokpan Lao-Araya. “The ADB project will introduce smart water management systems to improve water use, reduce energy consumption, and enhance operational efficiency to reduce Uzbekistan’s carbon footprint.”
The project will support Uzsuvtaminot and its regional branches to complete the installation of water metering and telemetry systems at key water facilities across the country. The project will also conduct an asset inventory and prepare on-site geographic mapping for all existing water and sanitation infrastructure, including approximately 4 million customer connections.
An integrated suite of IT-based climate-smart utility management systems will be launched, including training for staff of national water utilities. The project will also improve the operations of customer service centers by providing new financial management software, resulting in transparent financial reporting based on international standards.
The project will thus facilitate the introduction of transformative digital solutions and technologies to reduce operating costs, increase workforce efficiency, and improve customer engagement and satisfaction.
In the 30 years since Uzbekistan joined the ADB in 1995, the bank has provided the country with public sector loans, grants, and technical assistance totaling $14.3 billion.
