Veolia, which has won a contract with the Armenian government to act as sole operator of the country’s water distribution networks, is to invest 80 billion drams ($168.3 million) over 15 years in system upgrades.

The move was announced by the head of the State Water Economy Committee, Arsen Harutyunyan, to representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which itself has invested Euro6.5 million in a programme to improve the water distribution networks of small communities that took place between 2012 and 2015.

Veolia will manage five water distribution companies - Yervan Jur, which Veolia currently operates; the Armenian Water and Sewerage Company, currently run by Saur; the Shirak Water and Sewage Company; the Lori Water and Sewage Company and Nor Akunk – from 1 January 2017.

The companies prequalified for the bid were France’s Saur and Veolia, an Armenian-German consortium, A&G Service, and Italy’s ACEA. The unified system will mean the country has a single tariff for drinking water supply and wastewater.

Even after the unification, 560 communities in the country are not covered by any of the five existing companies.