Armenian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Territorial Administration Armen Gevorgyan said that the developments in water sector management over the past 10 years in both Armenia and the entire region as a whole indicate that involvement of private sector in the sector is the best model.

The Government of Armenia has asked the World Bank to conduct analysis of the water supply service provision in Armenia in order to determine high priority reform actions in the sector and the best Private-Public Partnership (PPP) structuring option for the Armenia Water and Sewerage Company.

The results of the analysis were discussed during a workshop with participation of representatives of the World Bank, Armenian State Committee for Water Economy and other stakeholders.

Gevorgyan told journalists that the optimal number of operators in the water sector is currently being reviewed, while experts believe that their number should be cut to 2, with one operating in Yerevan and the other – throughout Armenia.

Jean-Michel Happi, the World Bank Country Manager for Armenia, noted for his part that it is necessary to fix the recorded progress in the sector to define further steps for reforms implementation.

According to him, the quality of water has considerably improved in Yerevan, where 1/3 of Armenia’s population resides, while the average duration of water supply makes 21-22 hours a day against 17 hours five years ago.

Currently we try to improve the chemical composition of water, as well as secure a safe water supply, concluded Happi.