NEWS
On 9 June 2026, the Committee on Judicial and Legal Affairs, Law Enforcement, Anti-Corruption and Crime Prevention of the Jogorku Kenesh approved in the first reading a draft law that significantly tightens requirements for the protection of water resources. The bill introduces amendments to several legislative acts and strengthens water use regulations. The new rules will primarily affect the tourism and fisheries sectors.
The draft law introduces stricter rules for water protection zones. In particular, it proposes a ban on dumping any type of waste, including construction debris, as well as on burning waste and dry vegetation. It also sets restrictions on cutting and destroying shrubs and plants such as sea buckthorn, reeds, willow and other species that serve as habitats for fish and wildlife.
A ban is also introduced on the discharge of untreated wastewater into water bodies, along with a requirement for mandatory wastewater treatment facilities at guesthouses, resorts and other facilities located within water protection zones.
The bill further strengthens liability for environmental violations, including water pollution, the use of illegal fishing gear and poaching. In some cases, penalties may reach up to 8 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.
Special restrictions are also made for the shoreline of Lake Issyk-Kul.
In addition, further measures are being discussed, including expanding surveillance systems at water sites, strengthening penalties for electric fishing, and addressing the issue of a landfill site on the bank of the Tar River in the Osh region.
Since 1 January 2026, the new Water Code has been in force in Kyrgyzstan. It introduced water use fees for all categories of users, including foreign ones, as well as charges for water pollution. Water has also been formally recognized as a resource with economic value, and a mechanism has been established allowing Kyrgyzstan to request compensation from neighboring countries for transboundary water infrastructure costs.
Kyrgyzstan is often referred to as the “water tower of Central Asia”: around 50 billion cubic meters of water are formed annually in the country, while only about 12 billion are used domestically, with the rest flowing to neighboring countries, including Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Against this background, water regulation is increasingly seen not only as an environmental measure but also as an issue of national security and regional policy.
The tightening of legislation pursues two goals: strengthening control over violations and demonstrating the state’s ability to effectively manage its water resources. In the long term, it may also strengthen the country’s position in discussions on compensation mechanisms in the water and energy sector.
For businesses, this is likely to mean higher compliance costs and reinforces the importance of engaging in discussions on amendments and secondary legislation at an early stage.