Hrazdan Mine Exploitation Might Deprive 4 Armenian Cities of Water, Say Environmentalists

Four towns — Hrazdan, Abovyan, Charentsavan and Tsaghkadzor — will be deprived of water as a result of the exploitation of the iron mine in Hrazdan. According to a statement issued by local NGO EcoLur on Tuesday, head of the Hrazdan section of the northwest regional branch of Armenian Water Sewage Company CJSC A. Sargsyan expressed his concerns about this.

Recall, Chinese company Fortune Oil obtained shares in Nagin Company, which in 2009 submitted the project for the openpit development of Hrazdan iron mine. The Ecolur statement notes that independent experts are of the opinion that openpit development of Hrazdan and Abovyan mine may lead to Hrazdan and Yerevan being deprived of drinking water with different water losses mentioned from 40% to 60%. Ecolur has approached the Armenian Water Sewage Company for further clarification.

“The town of Hrazdan gets 100% of its drinking water supply from Makravan-2. This spring supplies water at a  rate of 1500 liters per second to three other towns: Abovyan, Charentsavan and Tsaghkadzor. It also fills the water reservoir located at the foot of the iron mine. In accordance with the studies of Soviet specialists, 60% of the water from Makravan-2 comes from the Sevan basin, while 40% is generated from snow, precipitation, etc. The waters of Sevan basin pass beneath Hrazdan rion mines, approximately at 1500 m above sea level. The mine itself is located at a higher area. However, if the explosions for iron mining affect the underground waters, waters will break and will flow directly to the mine, while Makravan-2 will run dry. I don’t know how much they intend to go down for ore extraction. According to my information, this will be lower than water level. If this actually takes place, we will start losing water,” Sargsyan said.

As for Yerevan, water to the capital is not supplied from Makravan-2. It gets its water from another spring, which according to Sargsyan’s information, gets water from Sevan basin. “In any case, serious studies are needed,” he said.

Hrazdan Aarhus Center Coordinator Anahit Mnatsakanyan told EcoLur that their organization has sent a letter which outlines the risks of Hrazdan mine project to Armenian Water Sewage Company CJSC General Director Patrick Lorin. “It’s true, he hasn’t responded to us, but we heard from some sources that he is concerned with this problem and has written a letter to the president,” she said.