Uzbekistan has recorded one of the world’s fastest reductions in water stress in recent years, according to a new United Nations case study on the country’s water-management policies. The study points to efforts to conserve water, modernize irrigation, and expand regional cooperation. It also warns that Uzbekistan remains under pressure from climate change and rising water demand, while environmental damage linked to the Aral Sea disaster continues to affect the country.
The study, prepared by UN-Water, examines how Uzbekistan managed to reduce water withdrawals while maintaining agricultural production and economic development. The report describes the country’s experience as particularly relevant for other water-stressed regions and countries seeking practical solutions to increasing pressure on freshwater resources.
Water has long been one of Uzbekistan’s most strategic resources. Much of the country consists of arid and semi-arid landscapes, while agriculture remains heavily dependent on irrigation. The challenge has become even more urgent as climate change affects water availability across Central Asia.
According to the UN report, Uzbekistan’s level of water stress increased steadily until 2017. Since then, the country has undertaken large-scale reforms aimed at reducing water consumption and introducing more efficient technologies. These efforts have produced measurable results.
In 2017, Uzbekistan’s freshwater withdrawals reached 169% of its total renewable freshwater resources. By 2021, that figure had fallen to 122%. Although still above sustainable levels and considerably higher than the regional average of 69%, the reduction of 47 percentage points within four years represents one of the most significant improvements recorded globally under Sustainable Development Goal 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation.
Data cited by the report show that total freshwater withdrawals declined from 58.9 billion cubic meters in 2017 to 42.5 billion cubic meters in 2021. Most of the reduction came from agriculture, where irrigation withdrawals fell from 53.7 billion cubic meters to 38.5 billion cubic meters during the same period.
The UN attributes much of this progress to strong political commitment. According to the report, water management has become a national priority supported at the highest levels of government.
UN-Water notes that water-efficiency goals have been incorporated into several development programs. These include the 2017-2021 Action Strategy and the New Uzbekistan Development Strategy for 2022-2026. The goals also appear in the Uzbekistan-2030 strategy.
Among the government’s targets are the introduction of water-saving technologies such as drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and laser land leveling across all cultivated land by 2030. Authorities also aim to save up to 15 billion cubic meters of water annually, reduce irrigation losses by 25%, and fully digitize the management of 200,000 water intake points.
The report identifies the expansion of water-saving technologies as one of the most important factors behind the country’s progress. Uzbekistan has combined financial incentives, soft loans, and subsidies with training programs for farmers and water specialists. According to UN-Water, this approach has helped reduce investment risks and encouraged wider adoption of modern irrigation systems.
These measures are especially important because agriculture remains Uzbekistan’s largest water user. According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations cited in the report, agriculture accounts for about 92% of all water withdrawals. Municipal use accounts for about 5%. Industry accounts for around 3%.
The scale of water consumption remains substantial. Freshwater withdrawals amount to roughly 42.9 billion cubic meters annually, equivalent to nearly 3,500 liters per person per day. The report describes this figure as exceptionally high for a country experiencing water stress and argues that continued conservation measures remain essential.
The challenge is closely linked to one of the world’s most severe environmental disasters, the disappearance of the Aral Sea.
The report recalls that the Aral Sea was once among the largest inland bodies of water on Earth. Decades of excessive water withdrawals for irrigation dramatically reduced its size, leaving behind the Aralkum Desert across the former seabed. The consequences continue to affect public health, ecosystems, and economic development throughout the region.
UN-Water notes that the environmental impacts remain visible today. Water-related ecosystems are under growing pressure, while river flows have declined significantly.
According to data from the UN Environment Programme, river flow in Uzbekistan decreased by more than 10% between 2017 and 2021 compared to the 2000-2019 baseline. During the same period, the extent of permanent surface water declined by more than 20%.
Reduced water availability also affects water quality. As rivers and lakes contain less water, pollutants and sediments become more concentrated. The report warns that increasing turbidity can damage irrigation systems, reduce reservoir capacity, and lower hydropower generation.
Water management in Uzbekistan is further complicated by geography. All of the country’s major river basins are transboundary, meaning they cross national borders and depend on cooperation with neighboring states.
The Amu Darya, Syr Darya, Zarafshan, and Chirchiq rivers all originate partially or entirely outside Uzbekistan. The country also shares important groundwater resources with neighboring countries.
As a downstream nation, Uzbekistan depends heavily on water originating in upstream states. This reality has made regional cooperation a key component of national water policy.
The report highlights major improvements in relations between Uzbekistan and its neighbors over the past decade. Joint commissions and working groups have been established with neighboring countries, while cooperation has expanded in areas ranging from hydropower development to groundwater management and irrigation infrastructure.
Uzbekistan participates actively in regional institutions such as the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination. The headquarters of several regional water organizations, including the Amu Darya and Syr Darya Basin Water Organizations, are located in Uzbekistan and receive financial support from the country.
The report points to Uzbekistan’s growing role in international water diplomacy. Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are the only two Central Asian countries that are parties to both the UN Water Convention and the UN Watercourses Convention. Uzbekistan has also joined the Protocol on Water and Health.
One issue receiving increasing attention is Afghanistan’s construction of the Qosh Tepa Canal.
The canal, being built upstream from the Amu Darya since 2022, is expected to divert a significant amount of water from the river system. According to the report, the project has increased pressure on Uzbekistan to accelerate water conservation measures.
Rather than pursuing confrontation, however, Uzbekistan has sought cooperation with Afghanistan. UN-Water notes that Tashkent is working with Afghan authorities to promote more efficient and sustainable use of shared water resources despite the absence of formal regional water agreements involving Afghanistan.
The report also highlights progress in drinking water and sanitation services. According to 2024 data from UNICEF and the World Health Organization, 98.6% of Uzbekistan’s urban population has access to safely managed drinking water. In rural areas, the figure stands at 77.7%.
Overall, 98% of the population uses improved drinking water services. About 80.9% of water is supplied through centralized systems, while the remainder comes from non-centralized sources. Sanitation coverage has also expanded. Safely managed sanitation services now reach approximately 75% of the population. Interestingly, the report notes that rural areas perform better than urban areas in this category, with coverage reaching 86% compared to 63% in cities.
Despite this progress, the report says Uzbekistan still withdraws more water than can be replenished sustainably. Climate change and population growth are likely to add further pressure. Agricultural demand and environmental damage will also require continued reforms and investment in the years ahead.
UN-Water presents Uzbekistan as an example of how sustained policy support and technological upgrades can reduce water stress under difficult conditions. The report also points to the role of financing and international cooperation in carrying out those reforms.
For a country in one of the world’s most water-stressed regions, the experience has relevance beyond Uzbekistan. It offers a practical case for Central Asia and for other regions facing growing pressure on freshwater resources.
