Tashkent to establish centralized water resources management center
Tashkent is set to create a centralized Water Resources Management Center, as per a presidential resolution dated July 27. This new body will implement a standardized strategy for the oversight, administration, and more effective utilization of the capital's water assets.
The center will be tasked with supervising Tashkent's water resources through an integrated framework, aiming to enhance monitoring, coordination, and the efficient deployment of existing supplies. Its mandate includes formulating a unified policy encompassing surface water, groundwater, potable water, technical water, and wastewater.
Furthermore, the center will generate recommendations to encourage judicious water use, minimize water wastage, and expand the infrastructure for water recycling. It will also integrate contemporary geographic information technologies and digital management systems to refine the collection and analysis of water-related data. A unified electronic database containing information on the capital's water resources will be established, and research-driven proposals on the effects of climate change on water availability will be developed.
This new institution will also be responsible for the preparation and coordination of investment projects within the water sector, collaborating with international financial institutions and development partners. This initiative is anticipated to bolster coordination throughout Tashkent's water system and facilitate long-term planning, particularly as the capital confronts escalating water demand and increasing climate-related challenges.
In addition to water management, the presidential resolution outlines measures to expand cultural and public spaces in Tashkent. Shopping centers exceeding 5,000 square meters will be mandated to include bookstores. Entrepreneurs engaged in book sales and associated with the Tashkent Book Trade Association will also be authorized to set up lightweight bookstores in bustling areas, markets, prominent shopping centers, and along main thoroughfares.