Access to clean drinking water is one of the most fundamental human rights. Yet, 2.1 billion people worldwide — one in four — still lack access to safe water.
As of 2025, 81.5% of Uzbekistan's population is connected to centralized water supply. The remaining 18.5% includes residents of the "Baxt" neighborhood in Uchkurgan district, Namangan region, until recently.
Under the project "Providing clean drinking water and sanitation to remote areas of Uzbekistan," water infrastructure has been completed in the Baxt neighborhood. The project is a collaboration between JTI Global WASH Initiative SA, the republican development fund "Taraqqiyot," and the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services.
Baxt is home to nearly 1,000 households (about 6,000 people). For years, there was no centralized water supply. Locals relied on water from an irrigation canal fed by the Naryn River.
Gulshanoy Ismatova, a resident, said: "Water in the canal comes intermittently — five days on, five days off. Especially during wheat, cotton, and strawberry seasons, this is normal. The hotter it gets, the higher the demand. In winter, carrying water is unpleasant. So when water was available, we stored as much as possible."
Dmitry Apalikov, head of JTI in Uzbekistan, stated that about $2 million was invested in infrastructure for areas like "Socha," "Baxt," and "Farg'ona" to improve living conditions.
Feruza Madaliyeva, head of the Taraqqiyot center, explained: "A pump is installed at a depth of 30 meters, capable of delivering up to 70 cubic meters per hour to the tower. Water is disinfected with special equipment and distributed to residents via the network."
She added that locals participated in digging the well. To foster ownership, management and social monitoring were handed over to the community. The water organization, registered as an NGO with the Ministry of Justice, was named "Baxt Bulogi" (Baxt Spring) by the residents.
"First, a council of 50–100 residents was elected. Three became the audit committee, 5–7 joined the board. Now the executive committee includes a director, plumber, and treasurer. Training sessions on management were held before operations began," said Muqaddam Qo'chqorova, head of Baxt Bulogi.
Madaliyeva noted that the tariff of 6,500 soums per cubic meter was agreed upon with community input. The price covers future capital costs, depreciation fund, salaries, electricity, and emergency repairs.
The project, which started in Socha neighborhood (4,875 residents) in Kosonsoy district, continues. "To cover 25,000 people, we plan to implement the project in Bordon neighborhood, Baghdad district, Fergana region," said Apalikov.
Areas were selected based on criteria: population over 4,000, low access to centralized water (13% in Namangan, 17.5% in Fergana), community readiness to participate and form management, prevalence of waterborne diseases, and availability of alternative sources.
Source: www.gazeta.uz