AZE.US
Water in Azerbaijan is moving beyond the category of an ordinary utility issue.
When Agriculture Minister Majnun Mammadov says around 70% of the country’s water resources come from abroad, every drought, reservoir project or decision made by a neighboring state becomes a potential risk for Azerbaijan’s internal market.
The issue is no longer only about household bills. For Azerbaijan, water is tied to food security, agriculture, regional dependence and the long-term stability of rural production.
Mammadov said the country’s problem is not only water scarcity, but also water management. The government is already working on new reservoirs, water collection systems and projects to replace open earth canals with closed pipeline networks.
Ilgar Huseynli, head of the Public Union for Social-Strategic Research and Analytical Studies, told Globalinfo.az that Azerbaijan is listed in international reports among countries facing water-related risks.
He said the issue concerns freshwater, agricultural and drinking water resources. The Caspian Sea does not solve that problem.
According to Huseynli, Azerbaijan depends heavily on the Kura and Araz rivers. Both are transboundary rivers. The Kura passes through Georgia before entering Azerbaijan, while the Araz flows along the border with Iran and Armenia.
That geography creates a clear vulnerability: much of the water originates outside Azerbaijan, while the country sits downstream.
Huseynli noted that the Kura is currently overflowing in some areas, but in other periods its water level falls sharply. He said one reason is the extensive use of river water in neighboring countries, along with the construction of reservoirs and power stations.
The expert said Azerbaijan needs to move faster toward a water-saving regime.
One of the main steps, he said, should be the modernization of agricultural infrastructure. That includes lining canals with concrete, replacing old water lines with modern pipe systems and reducing losses caused when water seeps into the ground.
Another area is alternative sources. Huseynli said Azerbaijan should pay more attention to underground water reserves, restore artesian wells and kahriz systems, and prepare groundwater for agricultural use.
He did not rule out stricter water-saving rules in the future. In agriculture, drip irrigation and modern pivot systems could become more widely required.
For households, he pointed to sensor faucets as one possible measure, especially in Baku and nearby areas, where most homes still use ordinary mechanical taps.
The most sensitive option is also on the table: higher water prices.
Huseynli said tariff increases could push households and businesses to treat water more carefully.
For now, this sounds more like a warning than a final decision. But the direction is clear: water in Azerbaijan is no longer just a cheap household resource. It is becoming a strategic asset, and the cost may be measured not only in money, but also in stricter rules on how it is used.
AZE.US