Mariam Matevosyan

When Hetq visited the rural community of Lor in the Sisian region of Armenia two years ago, people were complaining about the quality of their drinking water.

They still are today.

Back then, the Lor community mayor explained that Lor and the neighboring village of Shenatagh share a water pipeline, but that Shenatagh controls the water distribution schedule. He confessed that oftentimes dirty water flowed from the taps.

On a recent return trip, Lor Mayor Davit Arustamyan told Hetq that the quality issue has been partially resolved.

“We changed the location of the springs but construction is ongoing. We plan to build a cleaning station as well,” Arustamyan said.

The Zangezour Copper-Molybdenum Combine has donated 4 million AMD to build a new 4 kilometer pipeline. Until now, the water pipe ran close by the animal stables in Shenatagh. The water ran freely in some sections. World Vision also assisted with 200,000 AMD as part of its Sisian Regional Development Project.

Despite the work, Lor residents continue to fill up their buckets and bottles at the only fountain in the community. They say that they use tap water only for household chores and not for drinking.

Some residents we talked to who were filling their bottles tried to evade the water issue altogether. They said, “There is plenty of water. We merely came to the store nearby and decided to fill these bottles on the way.”

Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, mumbled, “It’s amazing how some can spin such fibs.”

A project to improve the water distribution system is scheduled for this year but Mayor Arustamyan concedes that the community doesn’t have the budget to allocate its 20% share.

“This is a vital issue for Lor, so we will definitely find the resources,” he said.

The Syunik Regional Authority has allocated 5 million AMD for the construction of the cleaning station. Work is to start in the fall.

Despite the fact that the community’s irrigation water system is in better shape, local residents still voice nothing but complaints about their standard of living.

“There is nothing good. We work the land and toil but there is no result. My beans have dried up and the potatoes have spoiled,” said Sveta.

“This year God forgot about us altogether. The rains spoiled everything,” complained Militon Harutyunyan.

Adela is a mother of six and sees her children as her investment in Armenia.

“They all served in the army and graduated from college. Now, no one classifies me as a mother with many children,” says Adela, adding that they’ve all left for Russia.

She speaks to her sons over the internet.

“I spoke to me eldest just yesterday by computer. I’m embarrassed to ask him to send some money,” Adela tells me, but confesses that she does request money from her sons on occasion.

Second photo: Militon Hartyunyan (with hoe)

Last photo (from left): Adela, Sveta