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New Plan Provides Path to Integrated Resource Management in Armenia

River Basin Management Presentation (420x280)

On August 7, the USAID Clean Energy and Water Program (CEWP) presented the draft Southern Basin Management Plan to key stakeholders in the Government of Armenia, the National Assembly, science and academic institutions, the private sector, NGOs, and international organizations involved in natural resources management and protection in Armenia.

The draft document, developed in close collaboration with the Ministry of Nature Protection and the Water Resources Management Agency, consolidates the basin management plans for the Vorotan, Voghji and Meghriget rivers that were prepared by CEWP during its four years in Armenia.

Speaking at the presentation of the draft, Minister of Nature Protection, Aramayis Grigoryan, highlighted USAID’s role in the institutional development of the Water Resources Management Agency and its basin management organizations. USAID’s Mission Director in Armenia, Karen Hilliard, reiterated the need for integrated resource planning to ensure more sustainable management of water systems in Armenia considering its economic, social and environmental challenges.

ME&A has implemented the Armenia Clean Energy and Water Program (CEWP) for USAID since 2011 in support of the Agency’s Water and Development Strategy.

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New Water System Sparks Savings for Armenian Village

Water Pump village of Hartavan 2 (420x242)The USAID Armenia Clean Energy and Water Program (CEWP) team recently participated in the opening ceremony of the newly completed water supply improvement project for the village of Hartavan. The governor of Aragatsotn, Sargis Sahakyan led community officials along with USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia, Jonathan Katz, and USAID Armenia Mission Director, Karen Hilliard, in the inauguration festivities.

Water Pump village of Hartavan (280x420)Before the inception of the USAID/CEWP water improvement project, Hartavan did not have access to a safe and reliable water supply. Most of the village’s water sources were seasonal and had no protection from potential pollution. The village’s only reliable source of water was the small and obsolete pumping station located on the Aparan-Yerevan water main, and Hartavan’s water distribution network was in poor condition. Household connections were not metered, and water loss due to leakage and waste was at 80% or more. Water was available only two to three hours a day, and the risk of waterborne diseases was high.

USAID/CEWP’s critical improvements to Hartavan’s existing water system resulted in a safe chlorinated water supply for all the households in the village available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Thanks to the installation of water meters throughout the village, water consumption is more accurately accounted for. CEWP also provided the municipality with new software to assist the billing and collection of water fees. As a result, the community’s water service revenue has almost doubled, and it is anticipated that Hartavan will save more than 23,000 cubic meters of water and 17,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
 
ME&A has implemented the Armenia Clean Energy and Water Program (CEWP) for USAID since 2011 in support of the Agency’s Water and Development Strategy.
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World Environment Day Comes to Armenia

Armenia World Environment Day On June 5th, the USAID Clean Energy and Water Program (CEWP) participated in the internationally recognized World Environment Day. At this year’s event, the CEWP team hosted a booth featuring hand-outs, presentations, and other examples of project activities.

World Environment Day is celebrated every year in June to raise global awareness, to take positive environmental action, and to protect nature and the planet Earth. Members from approximately 50 environmental institutions and organizations gathered at Lover’s Park in Yerevan to commemorate the United Nations sponsored event. Participants also included foreign Ambassadors and representatives of the National Assembly and the Government of Armenia.

Armenia World Environment Day 2 (420x315)

To mitigate the impacts of climate change around the globe, governments, international and local organizations are promoting energy and water efficiency measures and the use of renewable energy sources. To encourage the application of such measures by national and local governments, as well as by communities, organizations and individual households, CEWP has developed multiple demonstration projects to showcase that such measures are practical and beneficial from an economic, social and environmental viewpoint.

ME&A has implemented the Armenia Clean Energy and Water Program for USAID since 2011.

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ME&A President Interviewed on Economic Development

LED TomME&A President, Thomas England, was one of the featured speakers at the Annual Meeting of the Northern Chautauqua Local Economic Development (LED) Committee at the SUNY Fredonia Science Center, in Fredonia, New York. On May 21, 2015.
 
Mr. England’s participation in this year’s meeting was part of his long-term relationship with the committee to develop and expand local economic development in the Northern Chautauqua County region of western New York State.

As part of his participation in this year’s annual meeting, Mr. England was interviewed byJohn D’Agostino, publisher of the Dunkirk-Fredonia, New York, OBSERVER daily newspaper. The resulting article “Some ‘right things’ in advocacy” features Mr. England’s views on the role of advocacy in local economic development, and traces his personal roots in the region.
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Public-Private Partnership Improves Local Water Supply in Armenia

PPP Viva Cell 2 (420x312)USAID Armenia along with the international telecommunications firm, VivaCell-MTS, and the Foundation for the Preservation of the Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC), a local NGO, recently marked the completion of a major water supply improvement project in Arazap Village. USAID Armenia Mission Director Karen Hilliard, General Manager of VivaCell-MTS Ralph Yirikian, and FPWC Founder Ruben Khachatryan, along with the regional Governor and the Arazap Village Mayor participated in the inaugural celebration on April 14.
 
PPP Viva Cell 1 (420x280)Rehabilitation of the Arazap water supply network included the installation of 18.2 km of leak-free polyethylene piping, a new pump, water metering devices, and new billing software for water services. The project helps improve the efficiency of the water supply system by reducing water losses and contamination risks and leading to water, energy and financial savings. Arazap residents will now have access to clean water 24 hours a day instead of the former three. It is estimated that the community will save about 72,000 cubic meters of water and 30 megawatt-hour of electric energy each year.
 
USAID, VivaCell-MTS and FPWC partnered in 2014 to implement water supply projects in four villages of Armenia – Arazap and Lukashin in Armavir, and Artsvaberd and Berkaber in Tavush – to help the communities get access to potable water and improve well being. Nearly 7,000 people will benefit from this assistance. VivaCell-MTS and USAID allocated AMD 70 million and AMD 60 million, respectively, for the implementation of the four projects.
 
This public-private partnership project was partially funded by USAID’s Clean Energy and Water Program, which is being implemented by ME&A.

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