SCIENTIFIC AND PRACTICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR THE DIGITALIZATION OF WATER MANAGEMENT IN UZBEKISTAN

Abstract

This article provides a scholarly legal analysis of the regulatory and institutional foundations for the digitalization of the water management sector in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The study examines the 2025 Water Code and Presidential Decree No. PF–183 as the key legal frameworks underpinning the introduction of digital information systems, in particular the “Digital Water Management” and “Water Accounting” platforms. The author conceptualizes digitalization not merely as a technical transformation, but as an institutional governance mechanism that reshapes decision-making, accountability, and administrative practice in the water sector. The article also offers a comparative perspective by relating Uzbekistan’s reforms to the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), demonstrating the emergence of a data-driven governance model based on digital technologies. The research findings have practical significance for ensuring rational water use, strengthening transparency and accountability, enhancing mechanisms of public oversight, and advancing sustainable development objectives. The article may further serve as a methodological reference for future research in legal studies and public administration concerning digital governance in the management of natural resources.