"My name is Hovhannes Ghazaryan. I am the National Coordinator of the UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme in Armenia. We are now in Paracar to showcase a GEF-funded project which helps the community solve local waste water problems by piloting a low-cost waste water treatment system as a simple solution - applied for the first time in Armenia. We want to rehabilitate the community farm lands and residential areas flooded with waste water through the application of biological ponds for household waste water treatment. This innovative technology allows treating of household waste water to the quality required irrigation."

"Construction of a wastewater treatment system is very urgent for our community, since the existing disposal system is devastated; the whole area of Parakar community appears in wastewater. I hope that after completion of the project the schoolchildren will no longer have to excavate "trenches" to remove wastewater out of the school yard."

"This project is of high importance for the community residents, since it aims to solve several problems at once – social, health and environmental. Unlike the option developed under the Master Plan of the Parakar community with an estimated cost of USD 1.5 million, this option is rather cost-effective and environmental-friendly. It will also contribute to the development of small businesses in the community, as a community-owned entity will be established to operate the treatment system and develop fish industry in the future."