The United States government has completed the first phase of a new water system installation in the First of May village, Yovon District, Tajikistan. The initiative, spearheaded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), now provides over 3,500 residents, including a school and a medical facility, with reliable access to safe drinking water.
This village, which previously lacked a centralized drinking water supply system, is one of 12 communities currently benefiting from USAID’s rehabilitated water supply projects through public-private partnerships aimed at sustainable management.
“Today, we celebrate a tangible improvement in people’s lives, whereby the residents of the First of May village are connected, for the first time, to a safe drinking water supply system. We are proud of that support and believe in a participatory approach to managing water resources. We see water operators, consumers, and local authorities as one interlinked system. The meaningful participation of stakeholders at all levels leads to more sustainable and reliable service provision,” USAID’s Global Water Coordinator, Nancy Eslick, emphasized the transformative impact of the project at the opening ceremony.
Before the project, villagers depended on rainwater, water from irrigation canals, and expensive trucked water for drinking and household use. The cost of imported water, ranging from 250-300 somoni ($25) per truck, was prohibitively high for many families. The new system changes this reality, bringing safe drinking water to more than 3,575 people in the village, including critical institutions like schools and medical facilities.
To ensure the long-term sustainability of the water system, USAID has supported the local private water operator in the First of May village by helping develop a robust business plan, introducing an electronic billing system, and assisting with the installation of household water meters. These measures are designed to foster efficient water management and economic viability.
In the past five years, USAID has rehabilitated and constructed 30 drinking water supply systems across Tajikistan, providing safe drinking water to over 100,000 people. The agency remains committed to expanding access to safe drinking water in all regions of the country, ensuring that the benefits of these projects are sustained for future generations.
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