CONSERVATION OF DEEP WELLS IN ARARAT VALLEY HELPED SAVE ABOUT 8 MILLION CUBIC METERS OF WATER A YEAR – MINISTER

YEREVAN, December 3. / ARKA /. The conservation and closure of over
100 illegally operating artesian wells in the Ararat Valley has helped
save about 8 million cubic meters of water a year, Nature Protection
Minister Aramayis Grigoryan said today during a parliamentary Q&A
session.

According to government figures, about 50% of underground water
resources of the country are concentrated in Ararat artesian basin.

A recent USAID-funded study, managed by Clean Energy and Water Program
(CEWP), revealed that over the last 6-8 years, the level of groundwater
resources in the Ararat Valley that has the bulk of fish farms, has
significantly decreased, leaving over 30 communities without reliable
access to potable and/or irrigation water.

The minister said today the government has allocated 107 million
drams for the closure of illegal deep artesian wells.

“The conservation and closure of deep wells translated into 8 million
cubic meters of water saved per year. The results are being already
felt by the population,” said Grigoryan.

In 2013 July the government began charging for use of artesian water –
15 drams for a cubic meter of deep water and 5 drams of surface water.

Before that these waters were used illegally and for free.

The collected money will be used for conservation and closure of more
illegally operating deep wells. According to government estimates,
conservation of a deep well requires about 4 million drams. ($1 –
442.48 drams). -0–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress