At a meeting held in Termez in 2021, the head of our state raised the issue of drinking water in Surkhandarya. At that time, the level of drinking water supply through central networks in the region was around 60 per cent.
In this regard, the President noted that the Tupalang reservoir was a vast and clean resource for water supply and set a task to prepare a project to supply water to the people’s homes.
The water in this reservoir is collected as a result of melting snow and ice in the mountains. Tests have shown that the water has a hardness of 4 per cent and is rich in useful minerals. This is an important social project for the people of Surkhandarya.
As part of the project, 380 kilometres of metal pipes will be laid from the reservoir to the city of Termez. This includes 159 kilometres along motorways and 221 kilometres of internal networks linking towns and districts. Water treatment, reduction and collection facilities are also being built.
To date, 147 kilometres of pipelines have been laid. Water treatment, reduction and 5 water catchment facilities have been built.
Today, a ceremony was held in Bogiston mahalla, Sariosiyo, to inaugurate the first phase of the project. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev pressed a symbolic button and began to supply the “source of life”.
At this stage, water has reached Sariosiyo, Denau, Shurchi and Kumkurgan districts. The level of centralised drinking water supply to the region’s population has reached 70 per cent.
Another important aspect is that 8.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity will be saved by self-draining.
In the second phase of the project, the level of centralised drinking water supply will be increased to 90 per cent. About 2 million people in the districts of Sariosiyo, Denau, Shurchi, Kumkurgan, Jarkurgan, Bandikhan, Kyziryk, Sherabad, Angor, Muzrabat, Termez and the city of Termez will benefit. The project is expected to be completed in 2024.