VivaCell-MTS upgrades water supply in Lukashin

On July 24th, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), VivaCell-MTS, and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) joined the residents of Lukashin village at a community event dedicated to the water supply improvement project which was recently completed in the village.

The opening ceremony, held in the village of Lukashin, was attended by USAID Mission Director Karen Hilliard, VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian, FPWC founder Ruben Khachatryan, Governor of Armavir Ashot Ghahramanyan, Mayor of Lukashin village Karen Mkrtchyan, and local residents.

Before the project was completed, the village of Lukashin experienced a constant shortage of drinking water, and some parts of the village completely lacked access to water. As the old water network gradually degraded, there were numerous leaks in the system, causing a high risk of contamination from pollutants.

The water improvement project resolved the drinking water issues with the installation of a new, more durable, leak-proof piping system.  The village entered into the Nor Akunq CJSC service area – a utility company which manages the water infrastructure of several communities in the Armavir region. Old pumps were abandoned, and drinking water is now provided by the Armavir water reservoir through a gravity flow system.  Due to these improvements, residents now have a steady 24 hour a day water supply schedule instead of the former 2 hours per day. It is estimated that the village will now save about 421,119 cubic meters of water and 102,240 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year.

“The US Government provides a wide range of technical support to the rural areas of Armenia, especially those having the greatest need. Access to clean water is critical for good health and hygiene. USAID helps communities rehabilitate dated water networks in order to provide a reliable water supply to local residents while saving both water and energy,” said Karen Hilliard, the USAID Armenia Mission Director.

“Hardly anyone will be surprised by the statement that drinking water is a most vital need, but what really surprises me is the patience and persistence of the Lukashin community. For decades these people endured the daily toil of getting water from the well, the only water resource in the village, cherishing the hope that one day they would enjoy better conditions in their homes. I admire the willpower and merits of these people. VivaCell-MTS simply could not stay indifferent…,” noted VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian.

USAID, VivaCell-MTS and FPWC partnered in 2014 to implement water supply projects in four villages in Armenia – Arazap and Lukashin in Armavir, and Artsvaberd and Berkaber in Tavush – to help the communities obtain access to potable water and improve general wellbeing. Nearly 7,000 people will benefit from this assistance. VivaCell-MTS and USAID have allocated AMD 70 million and AMD 60 million, respectively, for the implementation of the four projects.