Innovating for a Cleaner, Smarter Water Future

The development of the OBI HAYOT Association began in 1941, at a time when there were no specialized construction and installation enterprises in Uzbekistan. To develop and provide water supply to steppe pastures, in accordance with the Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR No. 1397 "Measures for the development and improvement of karakul breeding in collective farms of the Uzbek SSR," on June 12, 1945, a pasture reclamation trust was established.

In 1950, for the purpose of water supply, the pasture trust carried out drilling works for the first time, and at the same time, the enterprise was entrusted with the design and construction of drinking water supply for rural settlements.

In 1951, the Republican Pasture-Reclamation Trust was reorganized into the Republican Pasture-Reclamation and Construction Trust under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Uzbek SSR.

In 1957, the trust was transferred to the Ministry of Water Management of the Uzbek SSR. At that time, the production base of the trust also engaged in construction and reconstruction, building residential facilities and repair units.

Later, an operation service was organized in the trust for improving and supplying pastures with water, agricultural water supply, and vertical drainage drilling.

The problem of providing safe drinking water to the rural population of the Republic existed for a long time. It became especially acute in 1964 due to the widespread use of pesticides and chemical additives in agriculture, which contaminated the main water supply channels for rural populations – the irrigation canals.

By order of the Government of Uzbekistan, based on four resolutions, the trust was entrusted with the design and construction of water supply facilities in rural areas.

In 1964, all construction enterprises of the trust in the regions had drilling expeditions and teams. The enterprises carried out large-scale work on drinking water supply for the population of collective and state farms.

Since 1965, construction and installation administrations were established in Samarkand, Bukhara, and Surkhandarya; drilling expeditions in Fergana, Mirzachul, Karakalpakstan, and Mingbulak; and Mobile Mechanized Columns (MMC) in Andijan, Surkhandarya, Tashkent, Khorezm, and Namangan. The MMC in Mirzachul was reorganized into the Syrdarya MMC administration.

In Tashkent, a production and technological coordination administration was established. These units were strengthened with equipment, vehicles, and leading specialists based on the former USSR decree "Measures for the development of water construction in villages."

In 1969, based on the design and survey expedition of the trust, a special water supply department "Uzgiproselstroy" was created, which in 1971 was transformed into the design institute "Uzgiproselhozvodsupply."

In May 1972, the trust was reorganized into the Republican Pasture-Reclamation and Construction Association. Within this association, the design institute "Uzgiproselhozvodsupply" and MMCs in 11 regions were organized. Later, the Syrdarya, Khorezm, Kazachensko-Lensk, Fergana, Tamdin, and Kushrabatsky MMCs were established.

Since 1990, due to economic reforms in Uzbekistan, OBI HAYOT was reorganized into the Republican Design and Construction Association, in 1994 into a Joint-Stock Investment Company, and since 2004 into the OBI HAYOT Association with functions of coordinating, managing, and implementing technical policies of regional firms in improving water supply, sewage, wastewater treatment, and pasture irrigation in rural settlements.

In accordance with the Resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 275 of August 4, 1990 "On improving the provision of drinking water and natural gas to the rural population of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 1990-1993," No. 182 of May 21, 1996 "On the program for the development of rural social infrastructure of the Republic of Uzbekistan until 2000," and No. 278 of June 1, 1999 "On measures for further improvement of water supply and natural gas in rural settlements," OBI HAYOT has, over 17 years of independence, commissioned over 10,000 km of water supply networks for rural settlements. In the pasture zone of Uzbekistan, over 3,000 km of water supply systems are operated and serviced. Active work is carried out to attract foreign investment in the drinking water supply and sewage sector, including the implementation of Resolution No. 243 of June 8, 1998, "On measures for the implementation of the Aral Sea drinking water supply project, financed by the German development bank KfW."

To implement the above government resolutions, consulting, investment, and other activities are carried out to attract foreign investments and the latest technologies in cooperation with: ESCAP (UN, Bangkok), development banks KfW (Germany), SOCIETE GENERALE, SG (France), EXPORT DEVELOPMENT BANK OF IRAN (Iran), SIEMENS JSC, WABAG, SACHSEN WASSER, GITEC CONSULT, AHT, DUSSELDORF CONSULT (Germany), MITSUBISHI CORPORATION, KANEMATSU CORPORATION, TONE CORPORATION (Japan), ABB BINNIE & PARTNERS (UK), INTERSIGMA INDUSTRIAL (Czech Republic), SIMA (Slovakia), EAST WATER, PROVINCIAL WATERWORKS AUTHORITY OF THAILAND (Thailand), GEMCO (Netherlands), SHIMBAR Co (Iran), CHINA GEOENGINEERING CORPORATION (China), AGUYAMIN ESPANAS.L. (Spain), and others.

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OBI HAYOT has been operating for over 60 years and has carried out the following activities and works:

• Design of water pipelines – 27,000 km;
• Pasture irrigation – 29 million ha;
• Drilled water wells – 33,000 units, of which 5,000 are on pastures;
• Construction of shaft wells – 11,000 units, of which 8,000 are on pastures;
• Spring development – 616 units;
• Construction of large-diameter pipelines – 27,000 km;
• Construction of tube wells – 570 units;
• Pasture reconstruction – 22 million ha.

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