GOVERNMENT COMMISSION ENDORSES COMPANY BID TO RAISE DRINKING WATER PRICE
Armenpress
May 30 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 30, ARMENPRESS: From July 1 residents of Yerevan and
33 communities lying in close vicinity will pay 172,8 drams per
one cubic meter of drinking water instead of current 125 drams. The
decision was made today by the Armenian government Public Services
Regulatory Commission which has actually endorsed an application by
Yerevan Water company seeking a hike in the price of drinking water
and waste water removal.
This price was originally suggested by the French General des Aux
company that won an international tender to run the Yerevan Water
Supply and Removal company for ten years. It was renamed later the
Yerevan Water.
Under the agreement signed by the Armenian government and General des
Aux, the tariff will be reduced gradually to 90 drams by 2016. However,
the exchange rate of the Armenian national currency-Dram-against Euro
and some other factors may prompt the company to revise these tariffs.
Serge Popoff, the chief manager of Yerevan Water, said the company
will work to improve the quality of drinking water and meet consumers’
demands. He said by the end of the contract term 95 percent of Yerevan
population will have 24-hour water supply against 78 percent now.
The company has pledged to invest $22 million of the World Bank credit
into improvement of the system together with 16.7 million euros from
the company’s future profits and 9.1 million euros will be invested
by General des Aux.