Exact Number Of Yerevan Population Provided With 24-Hour Water Suppl

EXACT NUMBER OF YEREVAN POPULATION PROVIDED WITH 24-HOUR WATER SUPPLY TO BE
INDICATED THIS YEAR

YEREVAN, JANUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Thanks to pressure registering meters
(loggers) installed in December 2006, it will be possible to clarify
by May 31 of this year what percentage of Yerevan’s population is
provided with a 24-hour water supply. Director General of the Yerevan
Water Company Serge Popoff told NT correspondent that there are many
problems in the sector but the major one is related to old pipes, which
cause 60% of total water losses reaching 80% in the system. S. Popoff
said that in accordance with the company’s agreement obligation,
the total volume of water losses will be reduced to 50% in the 10
years of lease – by 2016.

The director general noted that Yerevan Water, which leased on June
2006 Yerevan’s water supply and sewerage system for 10 years, has
assumed a number of important obligations, including ensuring the
continuity of water supply and the high quality of supplied water,
as well as improvement of relations with customers.

S. Popoff considered illegal water connections as another important
problem.

As a result of several measures aimed at removing these illegal
connections or bringing them to the legal field, 1,400 illegal water
connections were legalized in September, October and November of
last year.

It was mentioned that 700 million drams (about 1.9 mln USD) will
be invested in the system this year. A new water quality testing
laboratory will be put into operation in July-August. By late 2008
all 500 pumps in Yerevan yards will be replaced with new automated
ones. Special devices allowing to reveal flow losses will be installed
as well.