A-UTILITY ENDS ITS OPERATION IN ARMENIA

Armenpress

YEREVAN, MAY 2, ARMENPRESS: The Italian A-Utility company that had won
five years ago an international tender for operating the Yerevan Drinking
Water and Waste Water Removal Company, accomplished last Saturday its
activity in Armenia.
Company chief manager Richard Walkling told a final news conference that
the company’s major goals were to improve drinking water supplies in the
capital city, to repair water reservoirs and pumping stations, as well as to
improve collection of fees. He said it was a unique project for Armenia.
He said in the first stage of the project’s implementation the company
worked to solve water supply and quality problems, to ensure a gradual
passage to 24 hour long supplies. To that end the company sought to regulate
relations between water consumers and the company, to repair water supply
network. It also worked out an effective fee collection mechanism. As a
result water meters were installed at all water reservoirs supplying water
to Yerevan, at the entrances of blocks of flats and enterprises. Also
240,000 households installed water meters, who pay now regularly water fees.
He also said 66 percent of households have 24 hour water supplies.
Walking said due to these works the amount of water losses reduced 53
percent from previous 79 percent, resulting also in annual $7 million
savings.
He said the World Bank released a credit that was used to prepare a
project for effective removal of waste water. Seven international companies
are going to participate in a tender for implementation of second water
supply improvement project, funded by a World Bank $20 million credit. The
tender will select a new operator for the system.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress