Sustainable Use of Water Resources

Introduction

Water is the foundation of life on Earth. It is essential for all forms of existence and plays a key role in sustaining ecosystems, agriculture, industry and public health. More than 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, but only about 2.5% of its volume is freshwater, most of which is difficult to access.

For humans, water is not only a means of quenching thirst, but also an essential component in the production of food, energy and goods. In agriculture, which consumes about 70% of available freshwater resources, it is used for irrigation, crop cultivation and livestock production.

In the economy, water is the basis for industrial production. It is used to cool equipment, in chemical processes, to transport goods, and to generate electricity. Hydropower, in turn, provides clean energy and plays an important role in the decarbonization of the economy.

The ecosystem importance of water is also enormous. Rivers, lakes, swamps, and other bodies of water provide habitat for many species of animals and plants, regulate climate, support the cycling of materials in nature, and help maintain biodiversity.

Despite its importance, water is a finite and vulnerable resource. Rapid population growth, intensive industrial development and climate change are putting pressure on available freshwater resources. The rational and sustainable management of water resources is therefore one of the priorities of our time.

Problems related to water pollution

Speaking of problems, the modern world faces a number of serious challenges related to the use and availability of water resources. Fresh water scarcity is one of the key global issues. According to the UN, around 2 billion people already have difficulty accessing clean drinking water. The problem is particularly acute in arid regions such as Africa and Central Asia, where access to water is limited in both quantity and quality. Demand for water is expected to increase by 55 percent by 2050, putting even more pressure on limited resources.

The second major challenge is drought. Droughts caused by changing climatic conditions have become more frequent and longer. This reduces agricultural yields, degrades ecosystems and increases population migration. According to the World Bank, annual economic losses from drought run into billions of dollars, while the social and environmental impacts of drought are difficult to quantify.

Pollution and climate change also have a major impact on water resources. Water pollution is another major challenge. Industrial, agricultural and domestic waste are major sources of pollution in rivers, lakes and groundwater. Heavy metals, pesticides, plastics and other pollutants in water lead to water quality degradation and loss of biodiversity. In addition, contaminated water causes many diseases, including cholera and diarrhoea, especially in poor regions with low levels of sanitation.

Climate change, in turn, has a significant impact on the water cycle. Rising temperatures increase evaporation, reduce snow cover and reduce the volume of glaciers, the main source of freshwater for many rivers. Extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall, floods and droughts are becoming more frequent, making water forecasting and management more difficult. Aquatic ecosystems such as wetlands and rivers are affected by declining water levels and changes in water temperature, threatening the ecosystem services they provide.

Water resources in Central Asian countries

The Central Asian region is interdependent on water issues. Unfortunately, the countries of the region do not fully and effectively use water resources to solve environmental and economic problems. Water problems in the region arise because each country emphasises its national interests in developing its economy. The problem of water resources is not only related to water itself, but also to energy needs and agriculture.

The main threats to guaranteed access to water today are

- Unilateral and uncoordinated management of transboundary river water resources by upstream countries;

- Commercialisation of water and attitude to water as a commodity in some upstream countries in the region;

- Efforts by upstream countries to build new large reservoirs and HPPs on the main transboundary tributaries of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya.

According to the World Bank, drinking water losses in Uzbekistan amounted to 469 million cubic metres in 2018, or 32% of the total volume of drinking water produced. Large-scale water losses occur against a backdrop of unfavourable projections for the future water supply situation in the Central Asian region, and in Uzbekistan in particular. According to World Bank projections, by 2050 the water flow in the Syr Darya river basin could decrease by 2-5% and in the Amu Darya river basin by 10-15%, leading to increased water scarcity. This will affect not only agriculture but also hydropower, as the productivity of hydropower plants in some parts of the region could fall by up to 20 per cent by 2050.

The Aral Sea problem affects not only Uzbekistan but also neighbouring countries. Every year 135-145 million tonnes of salt, or about 17-20 tonnes per hectare of irrigated land per year, are discharged into the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers. Before 1960, about 55 km3 or 45-50 per cent of the average annual river runoff flowed into the Aral Sea, but by 1990 the inflow had already decreased to 6-12 km3, and in dry years it approached zero. The sea level is currently falling at a rate of about 0.5 metres per year, reaching 37.0 metres. The surface area of the sea has decreased to 32,000 km2; the salinity has increased to 40 or more g/litre and is still rising.

Among Central Asian countries, Uzbekistan ranked 25th out of 164 in a ranking of water-stressed countries published by the World Resources Institute. For Uzbekistan, water scarcity is a very pressing issue, as water shortages in a number of regions of Uzbekistan, particularly in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, can lead to social and environmental crises. There is already a shortage of water not only for agricultural purposes but also for the domestic needs of the population.

Population growth is expected to increase the demand for quality water from 2.3 billion m3 to around 2.7-3.0 billion m3 (18-20%) by 2030. This will lead to an annual increase in water demand in the municipal sector. In recent years, the industrial and energy sectors have also been actively developing and their water demand is increasing every year.

Agriculture is the main consumer of water resources, accounting on average for up to 90% of water use. Inadequate implementation of water-saving technologies leads to water depletion in water bodies. Measures are being taken to introduce technologies to reduce water consumption, use renewable energy sources, develop water recycling and promote sustainable water supply.

Water pollution comes from domestic and transboundary sources. For example, the chemical composition of water in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers is affected by pollution from agricultural, industrial, and municipal facilities both in Uzbekistan and in neighboring Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. According to the National Report on the State of the Environment of Uzbekistan, the majority of the country's watercourses belong to Class III of moderately polluted waters according to the accepted WPI classification. Localized deterioration of water quality in watercourses is observed in areas where large industrial and municipal (sewage treatment) enterprises are concentrated. For example, downstream from the Chirchik River in the area of the Electrokhimprom enterprise (Chirchik city), the water of the Chirchik River deteriorates to class IV. Chirchik deteriorates to class IV of pollution (2018-2019). The quality of water in the zone of runoff formation, according to WPI, usually corresponds to class II of water purity.

In addition, climate change and extreme weather events have a great impact, the influence of which has led to an increase in the period of dry heat, a decrease in the number of days with precipitation, snow accumulation in the mountains and deterioration of glaciation, an increase in the intensity of evaporation on the plains and in the foothills, an increase in the frequency of droughts and extreme low water events, as well as an increase in the frequency of extreme heavy rainfall events leading to floods and an increase in the frequency of mudslides.

Principles of sustainable use of water resources

The Government of Uzbekistan pays great attention to the water sector and pursues a policy of full support for water saving measures. Every year, the main canals, irrigation and canal networks, hydraulic structures and gauging stations are inspected and rehabilitated. In recent years, 1.5 thousand kilometers of canals, 400 large hydraulic structures, 200 pumping stations have been built and reconstructed, and 386.0 thousand hectares of irrigated land have been rehabilitated.

Special attention is paid to the development of water-saving irrigation technologies, especially drip irrigation system. At present, the total area of drip irrigation constructed is about 33.3 thousand hectares. By 2030 it is planned to introduce drip irrigation system on the area of 200 thousand ha.

The Ministry of Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan and its provincial subdivisions provide practical assistance to farms in solving problems related to the use of water-saving technologies:

In the Uichi district of Namangan province, an advanced drip irrigation system developed and installed by "ECO DRIP LUX" LLC has been introduced on the territory of most farms. The project covers an area of 806 hectares and is based on the use of an automated irrigation management system.

In Samarkand district of Samarkand province, the drip irrigation system was installed on the area of 527 hectares, in Nurabad district - on the area of 523 hectares, and in Pastdargom district - on the area of 496 hectares.

Automation of irrigation management makes it possible to effectively regulate the volume of water supply according to the needs of plants, time of day and weather conditions. This reduces labor costs, minimizes the impact of the human factor, increases the resilience of agriculture to climate change, and contributes to the rational and sustainable use of water resources.

In the Zaamin district of Jizzak Oblast, Rain Fain LLC implemented a project to install an irrigation system on more than 100 hectares of farms.

This system provides even distribution of water over the fields, mimicking natural rainfall, which allows to significantly increase irrigation efficiency and reduce water losses. The use of sprinkler technologies is particularly relevant in the context of the need to optimize water resources and increase crop yields.

In addition, the republic is attracting foreign investment in the development of water-saving technologies, especially drip irrigation.

Drip irrigation systems have been constructed and introduced on the territory of Andijan, Fergana, Namangan, Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya and Syrdarya provinces on the area of 60 ha by the German Cooperation Agency (GIZ-GONS).

Within the framework of the project "Reconstruction of the Ҳazarbog-Okkapchigay Canal System" financed by the Islamic Development Bank, a drip irrigation system was constructed in the Surkhandarya province on the area of 100 ha.

Within the framework of initiatives supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, it is planned to introduce modern water-saving technologies on an area of 163.6 hectares. The project aims to improve the efficiency of water use in agriculture, which is particularly important in the context of climate change and limited water resources. The main technologies envisaged by the project include the use of portable flexible hoses for water supply, covering furrows with polyethylene film to reduce evaporation, and the use of hydrogels to retain moisture in the soil.

Currently, 95% of the component materials used to implement the water-saving technologies are produced in Uzbekistan. This high level of localization of production testifies to the development of the domestic industry and its ability to meet the growing needs of the agricultural sector for modern technologies.

Conclusion

In 2017, significant work was carried out in the field of sustainable management of water resources and their efficient use. The main focus was on modernizing water management systems, improving land reclamation, and introducing market principles in water use.

Results include

• Modernization of more than 15,000 km of reclamation networks, completion of work on 219 sites, and installation of new equipment for water management organizations.
• Cleaning and rehabilitating irrigation systems totaling more than 130,000 km, improving water supply to more than 277,000 hectares.
• Strict controls on water use have been introduced, which have made it possible to prosecute violators and improve the efficiency of water use.

In addition, strategic documents were signed to support farms and dekhkan farms, use land resources efficiently, and increase crop yields.

These measures create a solid basis for the sustainable use of water resources in the future, strengthen environmental security and contribute to increasing the efficiency of agriculture.