YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The purpose of the National Water Program is to determine the main long-term development directions of the management and preservation of the water resources and water systems in Armenia. Vardan Aivazian, RA Minister of Nature Protection, stated at the December 21 public hearing of the draft law on the National Water Program that the draft provides the description of the current situation in the water resources management sector, the assessment of the water resources and demand for them, the analysis of priorities in the sector, etc. According to the minister, the low quality of water, the insufficient cleaning of sewage and inefficient use of water resources are typical of Armenia. Particularly, the water catchment makes 8 bln cubic meters in the country, while the annual demand is only 2.2 bln cubic meters. In the words of V. Aivazian, the National Water Program aims to solve these probelms as well. V. Aivazian said that the program represents the main document to ensure the full use of the RA Law on Fundamental Principles of the National Water Policy. It specifies the long-term development of the management and preservation of the water resources and water systems. The program aslo estimates demand for water in agriculture, the hydropower energy sector, as well as for drinking and domestic needs, and provides an analysis of the expected change in water demand as a result of economic development in the coming years.

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