In Yerevan, around 400 accidents in the sewer, stormwater, and flood drainage systems are registered weekly. Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan stated this at a recent press conference.
According to the Mayor, in order to fully modernize the sewer system, 93 km of sewer lines must be renovated. In addition, the city also faces the challenge of constructing about 70 km of new sewer lines.
The issue of Yerevan’s sewer system is also addressed in the city’s new master plan, according to which more than 97% of Yerevan is covered by the sewer network. The network was mainly built with low-quality pipes and numerous construction defects. Out of the city’s collector sewer networks, with a total length of about 1,200 km, over 30% are over 30 years old and have already exhausted their service life. Due to the shortcomings of the collector system, in about 50–60 locations across the city untreated wastewater is discharged directly into the Jrvezh, Voghjaberd, Getar, and Hrazdan rivers, as well as numerous ravines.
According to the document, the total volume of wastewater, which is currently 394,000 m³/day, is projected to reach 512,200 m³/day in the future.
Thus, Yerevan’s sewer and drainage systems require systemic solutions, which include:
Long-term financial investments
Construction of new sewer and drainage lines in line with current rates of urban development
Clear separation of responsibilities for the maintenance of sewer and drainage systems
Construction of a biological wastewater treatment plant
This material was prepared within the framework of “New Challenges for Development of Yerevan and Opportunities to Overcome Them” project with the support of the international CEE Bankwatch network.
September 23, 2025 at 15:31