YEREVAN WATER VOWS TO INVEST MILLIONS TO IMPROVE WATER SUPPLIES

ARMENPRESS
Sept 26 2007

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS: A chief executive of the Yerevan
Water company said today it has invested $8 million since 2006 January
1, to improve water supplies and waste water removal operations in
the Armenian capital.

Serge Popoff, director general of the company, managed by French
General des Aux, said $3.5 million were invested in infrastructure
improvement and $2.5 million were spent on acquisition of new
equipment.

Serge Popoff said the company expects to get an $18 million credit
from the World Bank to further improve water supplies and waste
water removal and buy new equipment and machines. He said 17 million
more of US Dollars, to generate from tariffs, will be invested into
the company.

According to him, about 80 percent of drinking water is lost on the
way to customers. The objective, he said, is to reduce water losses
50 percent in the next ten years. By that time 95 percent of Yerevan
residents will be having 24-hour water supplies.

Popoff also said a new modern laboratory, worth 120 million Drams,
will be established for regular checks of water quality.