For Lukashin village of Armavir region the drinking water problem existed from the times of the Soviet Union. Some parts of the village, that has 2600 inhabitants, did not have water at all, and the major part of the village had a two-hour water supply schedule. For years the cast iron pipes had undergone erosion, and for a long time had been broken and out of use.
The Lukashin community had found a temporary solution to regulating the low water pressure years ago, which did not prove to be efficient. This spring VivaCell-MTS, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Foundation for the Preservation of the Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) signed an agreement aimed at preventing the loss of water, at increasing the efficiency of water supply networks and at providing basic household conveniences in 4 communities of Armenia.
The water supply network project that started in Lukashin in summer is in the process of realization. Besides the 4,2 km-long water main, the length of the internal water supply network built in the village will be 12,2 km. The construction works in this pre-mountainous area demand great patience and efforts. Yet, the cooperating sides and the villagers do not give up. They try to achieve the desirable results through the installation of nearly lossless polyethylene pipes and water metering infrastructure.
The implemented renovation works are supposed to result in the improvement of the water supply schedule (from 2 hours per day to 24 hours), increase of the drinking water safety, reduction in the number of breakages in the network, and in water and energy savings. The village mayor informs almost 70 percent of the project is done.
A water metering system and modern water metering manholes will be installed in the near future, which will contribute to water economy and better billing. Other works will also be implemented, and the Lukashin villagers will be free from the problem of taking water from the scarce spring of the village.