YEREVAN, MARCH 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Since 2004, the French manager of ArmWaterCanal company has invested 18 mln USD in the system - at the expense of WB credit resources and its own funds (250 mln drams or about 806 thousand USD a year). The company's director general Patrick Loren told reporters on March 26 that the volume of water supply has increased as a result of these investments: the average duration of water supply made 12 hours in 2007 - against 9.5 hours in 2006. 19 thousand water meters were installed in 2007, and it is envisaged to install 30 thousand ones in 2008. P. Loren said that a program on sewage cleaning around Lake Sevan will be launched jointly with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) within a month. According to him, the agreement on ArmWaterCanal's management expires this year but they intend to work for another two years. It was announced that the manager is going to submit a bid for raising the water tariff (currently making 140 drams) to the RA Public Services Regulatory Commission.

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