Procedure for fines over water intake violations approved in Uzbekistan

Cabinet approves procedure for fines over water intake violations

The Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan has approved the procedure for imposing financial fines for violations in the field of water intake. The resolution of October 21 was published on Lex.uz, Spot.uz reports. The document regulates the application of sanctions for offenses related to water intake for industrial, energy, agricultural, fisheries and household needs.

Which violations fall under the sanctions

The procedure covers: exceeding the established water intake limits, water intake without concluding the relevant contract, water intake without installing regulation and metering devices, water intake without a permit to use water for special needs, as well as unauthorized water intake.

First a warning, then a fine

From January 1, 2027, the rule 'A warning for the first mistake' applies to legal entities upon their first violation. If the company's actions caused no harm to the health and lives of citizens or their property, the Inspectorate for Supervision of the Safety of Water Facilities and Water Use (Gosvodkhoznadzor) will issue an order via the suvnazorat.uz platform. Companies are given 10 days to fix the shortcomings. If the order is not fulfilled, the inspectorate may impose financial sanctions on the company.

Fine amounts

The amount of sanctions is determined based on the volume of water taken in violation and the coefficient established for each type of violation. The coefficients are set out in Article 164 of the Water Code per 1,000 cubic meters: water intake without regulation means and meters — 5% of the BRV (22,000 soums); intake above the limit — 20% of the BRV (88,000 soums); intake without a contract, as well as unauthorized intake — 30% of the BRV (132,000 soums); water intake by water management operating organizations, water suppliers and water users without a permit — 40% of the BRV (176,000 soums). In case of a repeated violation within one year, sanctions are applied at five times the amount.

Payment, installment and appeal

Businesses may pay the fine voluntarily within a month after the relevant decision with a 50% discount, or pay the full amount in installments over 6 months. If the violator does not pay within a month, Gosvodkhoznadzor may file a lawsuit. When sanctions are appealed, the process and the deadline for their application are suspended. If the court overturns the decision, the money paid must be returned within 15 days — otherwise interest of 1/300 of the Central Bank's base rate will accrue daily on the withheld amount (currently 0.0467%, Spot notes).

Context and significance

Spot previously reported that the Ecology Committee will sue the Tashkent region water utility over pollution of the Chirchik river. The new rules directly affect enterprises using water for production, energy, agriculture and household needs: they will need to check that they have contracts, permits and metering devices, since from 2027 the first violation will be forgiven only once, and a repeat violation within a year will result in a fivefold fine. At the same time, the mechanism provides for mitigating conditions — a 50% discount for voluntary payment and a six-month installment plan.