Safe drinking water reaches 100,000 Armenians, thanks to the United States

Artashat Water Supply Project is completed

Published: Friday August 28, 2009

At Kaghtsrashen village in the Ararat province of Armenia, U.S. Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch inaugurates a new water main installed as part of the Artashat Water Supply Project. U.S. Embassy

Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II joined U.S. Ambassdor Marie L. Yovanovitch, Ararat Governor Vardges Hovakimyan, and other representatives of the Armenian government, the United States Agency for International Development, the Fund for Armenian Relief, and the Armenian Water Company on August 26 to mark the successful completion of a $3.16 million USAID water-supply project. With the ceremony, three project-supported daily regulating reservoirs were handed over to the Armenian Water Company.

The project aimed to increase the volume of water delivered by gravity flow from Garni sources, which will be accumulated in new and rehabilitated reservoirs and distributed through new water mains. About 100,000 residents of Artashat town and 27 surrounding villages are expected to benefit from a significantly improved safe drinking-water supply. The project has also helped reduce energy consumption by eliminating the need to pump water from the deep wells around Artashat. 

The two-year project is currently USAID/Armenia's largest capital investment initiative. Project activities launched in May 2007 and included the installation of approximately 50 kilometers of new water mains and distribution lines, the construction of a new 4,000 cubic meter reservoir, and the rehabilitation of two existing ones. 

In her opening remarks at the ceremony, Ms. Yovanovitch noted the social and economic benefits of the project, which will now make safe and clean potable water accessible to target communities in Artashat. "I am confident that the project will significantly improve the health and well-being of people in this area and will support the government of Armenia in its efforts to foster economic development of the regions outside of Yerevan," she said.