The construction of Metsamor wastewater treatment plant for the communities of Metsamor, Artashar, and Zartonq in Armavir region remains a distant dream. An unsanitary situation has developed: residents are forced to endure foul odors, which intensify during the summer months, and irrigate their lands with untreated wastewater due to the lowered groundwater levels. In response to Ecolur’s inquiry about the safety of irrigating crops in Artashar with sewage water, RA Health Ministry stated that the substances in wastewater indirectly impact human health (only if they infiltrate food products or water supply systems). The ministry reported that 5.6% of drinking water samples in Artashar collected in 2023 and 16.7% of samples collected in 2024 showed microbiological deviations.
The construction of Metsamor treatment plant has been included in various programs but has yet to materialize. The most recent initiative was "Community Infrastructure Program", which included plans for the plant’s construction. However, this project was removed from the program. Ecolur submitted an inquiry to Water Committee seeking details about the program’s outcomes, the reasons for removing Metsamor treatment plant from the agenda, and when and by what means the plant will be built. In its response, the Water Committee did not explain why the plant’s construction was removed from the program or when it is planned to be implemented.
Artak Ghazaryan, Secretary General of the Water Committee, stated in a letter dated November 29, 2024 (No. 03//5878-2024):
"In response to the inquiry by 'Ecolur' Informational NGO, we inform you:
As for the construction of the wastewater treatment plant in Armavir (Metsamor), please note that the construction of the plant was removed from the program as early as 2021. The funds allocated for the implementation of Phase 3 of 'HEP-II' program by the EIB were returned."
The article was produced with the financial support of the Media Initiatives Center within the framework of "Expanding Production of Independent Content" grant project.
November 30, 2024 at 18:04