INTERVIEWS
Successful measures are being taken in the fields of melioration and water industry in Azerbaijan
Q: What has Azerbaijan Melioration and Water Industry OJSC done this year?
A: Thanks to budget funds 40.1 million cubic metres of area was cleaned from silt in 8 months of 2014. Also in this period, 4,091 hydrotechnical facilities, 675 hydroposts, 1,707 subartesian pumps, 31 stationary pumps, 219 electrical and diesel engines were repaired.
Moreover, repair work was carried out in other melioration and water industry facilities, including hydrotechnical facilities, channels, collector-drainage systems, stationary and on-water pump stations and subartesian wells.
Land-protection, extension and strengthening work was carried out on the 37,86km-long area along the Kur River, 1.8km-long area along Araz River and 7.19km-long area along Girdiman River.
New forests were laid out on the 89 hectares area.
Q: What projects were implemented thanks to local and foreign investment?
A: We implement Second National Water Supply and Sanitation Project, which is funded by the World Bank. The objective of the Second National Water Supply and Sanitation Project is to improve the availability, quality, reliability and sustainability of Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) services in selected regional (rayon) centers in Azerbaijan. There are three components to the project. The first component is the rayon investments, it will finance the rehabilitation and reconstruction of water, wastewater and septic sludge treatment facilities in at least 21 rayon's, including: Imishli, Kurdamir, Siyazan, Aghsu, Ismayili, Udjar, Zardab, Lenkoran, Masalli, Astara, Jalilabad, Yardimli, Lerik, Davachi, Dashkesan, and Gedabey under the responsibility of AzerSu, and Sadarak, Kangarli, Shahbuz, Djulfa and Ordubad under the responsibility of State Amelioration and Water Management Agency (SAWMA). The project will cover the rayon centers and villages located in close proximity to the centers or along the transmission mains supplying the centers. The second component is the institutional modernization. This component will support implementation of capacity building and modernization of AzerSu and its subsidiaries and SAWMA, to improve the efficiency and sustainability of WSS services. It will specifically include training in overall management, financial management, customer service, procurement, preventive maintenance, development of performance monitoring, preventive maintenance, leak detection and repair and other subjects pertinent to effective and efficient operation of WSS activities, and construction management. Finally, the third component is the implementation and management, it will support project implementation by financing project management activities, including incremental operating costs and project audits, using the already experienced project management unit (PMU) for the (first) National Water Supply and Sanitation Project (NWSSP), which will be further strengthened to reflect the enlarged set of activities under the Second National Water Supply and Sanitation Project
Another project is Water Users Association Development Support Project. The project includes the following components: Institutional and WUA Capacity Strengthening, including a focused training and capacity support program to Water Users Associations (WUAs), the Central Support Unit and to Raion Support Units in 27 rayons, and institutional strengthening support to the Amelioration and Irrigation Open Joint Stock Company (AIOJSC); On-farm Irrigation and Drainage Rehabilitation, which includes rehabilitation of on-farm irrigation and drainage systems in about 85.5 thousand ha for about 40 WUAs in 15 rayons which will be selected based on irrigated area and agricultural production potential; and Project Management, which will finance project management and implementation activities, and monitoring and evaluation by a Project Implementation Unit under the Amelioration and Irrigation Joint Stock Company (AIOJSC).
We also completed the construction of the second phase of the Valvalachay-Takhtakorpu and 110,033km long Takhtakorpu-Jeyranbatan canals.
Q: What about the work to improve water supply to regions?
A: We carried out considerable work to improve water supply to winter pastures in Neftchala, Kurdamir, Aghstafa, Gazakh, Goranboy, Aghjabadi and Lachin districts. This included repair of water pumps and canals. The completion of the construction of Akhtachi-Arabgubali canal in Kurdamir district contributed to improving the water supply in the 4,000 hectare area.
In September of 2014, we started filling water in water storehouses. Construction work at Tovuzchay water warehouse is nearing end. Considerable work has been carried out to improve supply of water to cultivated areas.
We also completed the digging of 367 subartesian wells under relevant orders signed by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2013 and 2014. Some 90 subartesian wells were dug under a state investment program. This helped improve water supply on the 8,000 hectare area.
Q: Large-scale construction work is being carried out in the country`s districts under the state program on socio-economic development of districts. We would like you to highlighted the company`s activities on this front.
A: We carried out reconstruction work on the 18,164 km long section of the main Asheron canal under the 2011-2013 state program on socio-economic development of Baku and its suburban settlements. In addition, our company installed hydrotechnical and electric facilities in Hovsann/st.
Bank-cementing, stone-concrete, metal-concrete work was carried out on the 18,362 km long area in most dangerous rivers in the country (Goychay, Aghsuchay, Tartarchay, Aghstafachay, Dashaghılchay, Oghuzchay, Shinchay, Kishchay, Kunghutchay, Mukhakhchay, Katekhchay, Balakenchay, Interchay, Zayamchay, Kurmukchay, Mazımchay, Zarnachay, Hamamchay, Alazanchay, Pensarchay, Gudialchay, Qusarchay, Samurchay, Valvalachay, Qarqarchay, DamiraparanchayandDurjachay) to prevent mud flows and floods.
We also carried out the repair of main water-taking facility in Goychaydistrct and Bash Shirvan collector in the city of Shirvan.