Developer fined for pumping raw sewage into Tashkent’s Salar canal

Tashkent’s Salar Canal has been polluted with raw sewage by a developer, who now faces a substantial fine. The Tashkent Main Department of Ecology and Climate Change launched an investigation following social media reports of a compromised sewage pipe on Shota Rustaveli Street, which was discharging wastewater into the canal.

The inquiry determined that B.B. LLC, while constructing a multi-story residential building in the Yakkasaray district, damaged a pipe linked to the city's main sewerage system, leading to its partial collapse. Rather than rerouting or treating the accumulating sewage, the company used specialized pumps to discharge the liquid waste directly into the Salar Canal, which flows through the district.

Laboratory tests performed by the Tashkent Department of Ecology’s testing facility revealed severe contamination. Wastewater samples showed petroleum product residues exceeding safety standards by 5.02 times, ammonium nitrogen by 43.5 times, chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 4.9 times, and suspended solids by 13.6 times. Soil samples from the waste accumulation area also indicated petroleum residue levels between 2.6 and 11.4 mg/kg.

The Tashkent Department for Canal Maintenance and Adjacent Area Landscaping reported that 63,936 cubic meters of liquid waste were unlawfully discharged into the canal. This act violates Article 19 of the Nature Protection Law, as well as Articles 23, 117, and 153 of the Water Code. As a result, environmental damage compensation has been calculated at 2,160,013,824 UZS.

Furthermore, the damaged sewage system and subsequent wastewater pooling led to considerable soil contamination in the vicinity. Analysis showed that petroleum residues in the soil surpassed baseline concentrations by an average of 5.2 times, incurring an additional soil damage fine of 60,027,081 UZS. In total, B.B. LLC is liable for an environmental compensation penalty of 2,220,040,905 UZS.