Water resources policy and administrative management

The project aims to address agricultural lands degradation and underground water pollution issue caused by continuous contamination of community farmlands by municipal wastewater in Parakar community (with 10.000 population) of Armavir region. The project envisages reconstruction of municipal wastewater system and construction of a lagoon - type treatment plant to ensure sustainable use of affected farmlands and solve critical issues related to health and food security. The project is planned to be implemented in two stages, depending on the inter-dependence of the stages and availability of funds. At the first stage of the project it is planned to develop a detailed technical design of the treatment plant; get positive conclusions of technical and environmental expertise; construct a polyethylene wastewater collector of 800m long (250mm) to the envisaged treatment plant, observation chambers, mechanical treatment facilities and first biological lagoon. At this stage, special trainings for the plant operating staff as well as environmental awareness raising of the community population are planned. At the second stage of the project it is planned to construct the second biological lagoon and develop fishery there, as well as sludge bed for utilization of the sludge accumulated in the biological lagoons that will allow the community population getting cheap and high-quality organic fertilizer and obtaining ecologically sound product. The wastewater treated in the biological lagoons will be discharged into irrigation system and used for irrigation purposes. SGP funding will support the implementation of the first stage only As a result of the project implementation more than 50ha of agricultural contaminated lands will be rehabilitated and sustainably used. Furthermore, penetration (seepage) of about 12 tons nitrogen and 6 tons phosphorus into ground water aquifer and receiving water bodies will be prevented. Moreover, about 100 households of the community will get sustainable production of agricultural products (mainly vegetables) and stable income (in average extra US$950 annually), which will improve their social condition. The environmental awareness level of the community population will rise and they will gain knowledge on sustainable land management. Also, the project will strengthen the capacity of local authorities. Please see the project photostory at: http://www.youtube.com/watch v=-EE1LYVL32g

Armenia