YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN. 79% of Yerevan's population has a 24-hour water supply, even though water losses make 80%. Serge Popoff, Director General of the company Yerevan Water, stated this during the December 14 press conference. According to him, in the past six months enough work has been done to improve the sector. Particularly, the Kanaker-Zeytun district currently has water supply 9 hours a day instead of the previous 3 hours, 65 water pressure messuring devives were installed, 1,376 illegal connections were relealed. S. Popoff said that in the past 6 months 500 mln drams (about 1.3 mln USD) has been invested in the sector. It is envisaged to invest 800 mln drams in 2007, which will allow to build new chlorine stations and to re-equip completely several operating ones. Besides, a new laboratory to control drinking water quality will be put into operation soon. Starting February 1, five instead of nine branches will operate. It was noted that all pumps in the city yards will be replaced. According to S. Popoff, although the company has benefited from the dram's appreciation, it cannot reduce the drinking water tariff, because its change is connected with two other factors - electricity and inflation.

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