Residents of Aratashen, a town in Armenia’s Armavir Province, still can’t believe that they will finally have quality drinking water, the result of a new system financed by the U.S. International Development Agency (IDA).

“Aratashen residents still can’t believe that water is running from their faucets,” exclaimed town Mayor Vahram Hayrapetyan.

Deborah Grieser, who heads the IDA mission in Armenia congratulated residents on the occasion of the new system that will supply them with 24-hour drinking water.

Grieser, accompanied by Armavir Governor Hambardzum Matevosyan and other invited guests, toured the town and inspected the new building housing a water pump and chlorine station.

Ten kilometers of a plastic water pipe were rebuilt, and water meters installed in the yards of each home of the town, with a population of 3,200.

One year ago, as part of a project entitled “Pure Water”, Hetq investigated the town’s water problem. The study found that residents were willing to pay for the regular supply of quality drinking water.

At the time, residents complained that the drinking water they were supplied with was no different than the water they received for irrigation purposes.

They were only supplied with potable water for two hours per day. Some districts were never even supplied with the water. The water was never chlorinated.

The supply was constantly interrupted due to electricity cutoffs. Improvements to the local electricity grid have been made as well.