Is Water Quality Favourable in Yerevan?
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.
