Action Plan for 2020-2022 on ensuring the efficient use of water resources.

This Action Plan lays down targets to ensure efficient use of water resources. The timeframe of the policy is 2 years covering the period from 2020 and 2022. The objectives of the Action Plan are: (i) assessment, protection and sustainable use of water resources; (ii) electronization of water management, improvement of accounting and information provision; (iii) efficient use of water resources in the energy sector; (iv) efficient and economical use of water and creation of water resources for irrigation; (v) improvement of the drinking water supply system; (vi) financing of infrastructure projects; (vii) information and education; and (viii) improvement of land reclamation and combating land degradation and desertification. The list of planned reconstruction of hydro-junctions, collectors and irrigation canals and and the list of reservoirs planned to be created in accordance with the relief for collecting mountain river waters are annexed to the Action Plan.
Assessment, inventory, modeling of water resources will be carried out and related data will be integrated into the electronic water management information system. Measuring devices based on modern technologies will be installed and operated for the assessment of water resources in the main water and water management facilities of the country. Inter-country cooperation will be strengthened in the field of protection and sustainable use of water resources of the Kura River basin. The technical safety of the main hydropower plants will be assessed. Control mechanisms over the activities of sand and gravel quarries will be improved in order to strengthen the protection of hydrotechnical facilities and prevent possible negative impacts on these facilities. The use of alternative sources, including groundwater, treated waste, collector-drainage waters, waters used in fisheries, and water from the Caspian Sea, will be explored. The possibilities of using water from reservoirs formed as a result of anthropogenic impacts in the country will be investigated and appropriate measures will be taken. Groundwater formed in the Baku City from groundwater and rainwater will be removed from the wastewater network and these waters will be used as an alternative source. The procedure for ordering, designing, drilling and operating subartesian and artesian wells will be drafted. Cooling systems of thermal power plants will be modernized, and economical use of water for cooling purposes in these power plants.
Agricultural producers will be promoted to use modern technologies in irrigation. New mechanism will be developed for preferential use of irrigation water. Crop structure on irrigated lands will be determined, and the water order for irrigation of agricultural crops will be drawn up accordingly three months before the start of the irrigation period based on the irrigation schedules. Feasibility study will be prepared for: (I) the reconstruction of hydro-junctions, collectors and irrigation canals, as provided for in Appendix 1 to this Action Plan, in order to reduce water losses and improve the land reclamation condition; and (II) the creation of the reservoirs provided for in Appendix 2 to this Action Plan, in order to increase water resources in the country and collect water from mountain rivers. The resilience of water resources to the adverse impacts of climate change, such as drought and flood, will be increased to ensure continuous drinking water supply in the cities. An Action Plan will be drafted to improve the performance of modular water treatment plants installed in the regions in order to supply drinking water to the population. The growing demand of the population to drinking water will be taken into account when drafting the state investment program. Measures will be taken to improve land reclamation and combat land degradation and desertification, and risk mapping will be conducted for areas which are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and showing signs of desertification.