ArmenPress
Jan 28 2005
SAUR TO INVEST $25 MILLION IN 4 YEARS TO IMPROVE WATER SUPPLIES
YEREVAN, JANUARY 28, ARMENPRESS : The French company Saur that won
an international tender for running Armenia’s water and sewage system
has pledged to invest $2 or $3 million this year to improve water
supplies and gradually phase out water rationing. Patrick Loren, the
chief manager of Armenian Water and Sewage company, said one of the
priorities will be to decrease losses of water.
The company operates water supplies to 300 rural and 37 urban
communities. Another priority, according to him, is the installment
of water meters, repair of decayed pipes, restoration of water
purifying stations. Out of 176,846 active households only 73,000 have
installed meters. The company plans to raise this figure by another
30,000 this year.
Two pilots projects will be implemented in Sevan and Dilijan. Next
year the project will include other towns and rural settlements. The
company’s four-year investment project envisages a total of $25,5
million investments, of which $23 million will come from a World Bank
long-term credit, another $2.5 million will come from the government
budget.