ArmInfo. The Water Committee of Armenia will conduct an independent technical audit to assess the quality of services and performance of VeoliaJur CJSC.
According to the agency's press service, discussions were held on certain provisions of the contract for the procurement of independent technical audit services, chaired by Aramazd Galamkaryan, Chairman of the Water Committee. The purpose of the audit is to assess the performance of VeoliaJur CJSC for the period 2022-2031. "An independent technical audit will allow for a comprehensive assessment of the quality of water supply and sanitation services provided by VeoliaDzhur CJSC, as well as their compliance with established performance indicators. The key performance indicators are: the quality of the supplied water; continuity of water supply; the level of unaccounted water; and customer satisfaction," the Committee reported.
To assess the latter indicator, according to the source, the technical audit, along with other measures, will include random customer surveys. The Water Committee noted that the results will be included in the list of key performance indicators for VeoliaDzhur. "In the event of failure to meet the performance indicators set forth in the lease agreement, the results of the independent technical audit will serve as the basis for applying the penalties and other penalties stipulated in the agreement," the agency stated. According to the source, the discussion was attended by the Committee's deputy chairs, representatives of relevant departments, as well as IngoTevs, the executive director of Decon International, the company selected to conduct the independent technical audit; the company's deputy director, Hovhannes Harutyunyan; and financial specialist, Hasmik Hovsepyan.
As a reminder, on June 17, it was reported that more than a dozen residents in the Byureghavan community were hospitalized with bouts of intestinal infection. Following this, a group of residents held a protest, demanding that VeoliaJur provide high-quality drinking water. Later, former Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament and former Minister of Justice Arpine Hovhannisyan reported that she had periodically tested the water supplied by VeoliaJur. According to her, it was discovered that during the summer period, when water supplies become scarce, the company began mixing it with artesian water, which has high hardness. The company subsequently issued a statement assuring that the drinking water supplied to consumers is subject to continuous 24/7 monitoring and complies with all required standards. VeoliaDzhur also commented on claims regarding water hardness, noting that it is not an indicator of drinking water safety and is not considered a health hazard.
