IS WATER QUALITY FAVOURABLE IN YEREVAN?

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05:23 pm | March 22, 2010

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March 22 marks the International Day of Water and it carries the motto
"Clean Water for the sake of the world".

One can understand the state of Armenian water supply system after
turning on the water tap. The opinion was sounded by specialists
of Armenian water sphere at today’s a round-table dedicated to the
International Day of Water.

The choice of the slogan is not accidental. According to the data
of World Water Council, secure water is unavailable for 17% of the
world’s population. 3,1 million people, mainly children under 5
annually die of diseases caused by low-quality water.

According to the Council, half of the world’s population will face
water insufficiency in 2025.

The participants in today’s round-table think that the water quality
allows for more concern in those settlements of the republic where
the extractive industry is developed.

Water quality is largely jeopardized in Syunik marz, where Kapan and
Kajaran extractive centres are located.

Talking to A1+, junior scientific associate Olga Belayeva notes that
industrial waterflows easily mingle with the surface waters infecting
the crop irrigated with the water.

"Many metals exceed the marginal permitted portions," Belayeva
emphasized. According to some sources, the infertility rate in Syunik
exceeds that of other marzes.

Representative of the RA Minister of Healthcare Aida Ketikyan also
noted many violations and drawbacks endangering water quality. Among
other shortcomings, she pointed out the worn-out water supply systems.

The ministry has defined penalties for violations. In 2009, in the
result of checkups in 45 businesses a penalty of 1 890 000 AMD was
imposed. Most deviations were revealed in the marzes of Aragatsotn,
Tavush and Syunik.