Friday, December 5 2014

For Lukashin village of Armavir region
the problem of drinking water has existed since the times of the Soviet Union,
the press service of VivaCell-MTS has told ArmInfo. Some parts of the village,
which has 2600 inhabitants, have had no water at all, and the greater part of
the village has had a two-hour water supply schedule. Over the years the
village's cast iron pipes have eroded, broken and grown out of use. Years ago,
the Lukashin community found a temporary solution to regulating the low water
pressure, which proved inefficient. In spring 2014, 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, increasing the efficiency of water supply
networks and providing basic household conveniences in 4 communities of
Armenia, including Lukashin.

 

The water supply network project started in Lukashin
in summer and is currently underway.  In
addition to the the 4,2 km-long water main, a 12,2 km long internal water
supply network will be built in the village. Construction works in this
mountainous area demand great patience and efforts. Yet, the cooperating sides
and the villagers do not give up. They try to achieve the set goals through the
installation of virtually leak-proof polyethylene pipes and water metering
infrastructure.

 

The renovation works are expected to result in
improved water supply schedule (from 2 hours per day to 24 hours), increased
safety of the drinking water, fewer breakdowns in the network, and water and
energy savings. According to Karen Mkrtchyan, head of the community, 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
savings and improved billing. Other works will also be implemented, thanks to which
Lukashin villagers will not have to carry water from the scarce spring of the
village anymore.

 

Over 6800 inhabitants of the four target communities
will benefit from the project implemented as part of the trilateral
agreement.  VivaCell-MTS has allocated
AMD 70 million and USAID - AMD 60 million for the implementation of the
project.

 

VivaCell-MTS (K-Telecom CJSC) is Armenia's leading
mobile operator, having the widest 2G/3.75G/4G network reach and spreading a
wide range of Voice and Data services all across Armenia. Having the best of
the Armenian people interest at heart since its launch on 1st July 2005 and in
a short period of time VivaCell-MTS has managed to build a nationwide network
and a considerable customer base. VivaCell-MTS drives innovation and aims at
always being at the forefront of any development serving the Armenian mobile
communications market.  The company
follows the guidance provided by ISO 26000 (International Standard of Social
Responsibility).

 

Mobile TeleSystems OJSC ("MTS") is the
leading telecommunications group in Russia and the CIS, offering mobile and
fixed voice, broadband, pay TV as well as content and entertainment services in
one of the world's fastest growing regions. Including its subsidiaries, the
Group services over 100 million mobile subscribers.  The Group has been awarded GSM licenses in Russia, Ukraine,
Turkmenistan, Armenia and Belarus, a region that boasts a total population of
more than 200 million. Since June 2000, MTS' Level 3 ADRs have been listed on
the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MBT).