In 2019, people living in
one of the districts of Yerevan had applied to the Human Rights Defender to
request their assistance for the construction of a new drinking water supply
and drainage system.
The complainant had noted
that as a result to damages to the water pipelines, water of low quality was
being supplied to the residents, water was being frozen in the pipes during
winter. The residents dealt with these issues with their own initiatives.
The Defender addressed
relevant letters to the Water Committee, the Public Services Regulatory
Commission of Armenia, and Veolia Water CJSC with proposals to repair the water
pipelines of residential houses or build a new water supply system. The Office
of the Defender received answers about the fact that as a result of the
conducted studies, the water pipelines of the residents of the mentioned
district were built without observing technical norms (in particular, without
thermal insulation of pipes, maintenance of minimum depths of pipes). The water
pipelines crossed lands belonging to business operating in that area, and hence
were outside the functions of Veolia Water.
Therefore, the
reconstruction of water pipelines and, if necessary, the change of the
connection should be carried out at the expense of the subscribers.
In relation to this
issue, the Human Rights Defender sent numerous letters to competent bodies,
including the Water Committee. In particular, clarifications were required to
include the reconstruction of the water pipelines in the planned investment
programs.
Another letter was
addressed to the Water Committee in 2021, in relation to the measures taken to
resolve the water supply issue in the mentioned district, and the inclusion of
the issue of water supply in the mentioned residential houses in the Programme
aimed at improving the water supply of Yerevan.
The Office of the
Defender received an answer mentioning that the water supply network of the
residential houses was reconstructed within the framework of the pregame aimed
at improving the water supply of Yerevan, and the waters supply of all 19
subscribers is being carried out through a new system.
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