Ilham Aliyev attended a ceremony to supply drinking water to Bilasuvar city

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended a ceremony to supply drinking water to Bilasuvar city.

Greeting representatives of the district public, President Ilham Aliyev said:

- Good morning!

I cordially greet and congratulate you on the completion of a large project which will be opened here today. This is a great historic project. From now on, Bilasuvarcity will be provided with drinking water by 100 percent. This is a great achievement anda huge success. I know that there has always been a water problem in Bilasuvarand that it has always troubled people. But now, thanks to the work done, this problem will be completely eliminated and the city will be providedwith water by 100 percent. Clean drinking water should be supplied around the clock. I congratulate you on this wonderful occasion. After that,water lines will be built to the villages and we will finally resolve the problem that has existed for many years.

As you know, clean drinking water is a key contributor to people's health. And we want the citizens of Azerbaijan to be healthy and the latest standards to be applied to all fields in Azerbaijan.

Today, the constructionof water and sewage lines is carried out in every district in Azerbaijan. In some districts they have already been put into operation, in others they are under construction and in others still preparations are under way. There will be no city left in Azerbaijan where round-the-clock supply of drinking water is not available. At the same time, in parallel with this, we will also realize drinking water projects in many rural areas,including Bilasuvar. Thus, we will resolve the most acute problem that has always bothered people.

In addition, other infrastructure projects are successfully implementedin Bilasuvar, including the gasification project.

According to my information, almost 90 percentof the district has gas supply. Several villages will be supplied with gas before the end of this year. Gasification will be provided by 100 percent in Bilasuvar. So theseare the major infrastructure projects that the government of Azerbaijan is implementing successfully and consistently. As you know, these projects require large financial resources. All the funds are allocated from the state budget of Azerbaijan, and our ever growing financial capabilities allow us the opportunity to implement these wonderful projects.

Our success is underpinned by a strong economy, sound economic policies and economic reforms. Over the past 10 years, our country has been the fastest growing economy in the world. There are more than 200 countries in the world. According to the estimates and the statistics of all international organizations, there is no other country that would have evolved as much as Azerbaijan in the last 10 years. All this is a reality backed by good policies and the unity between the people and the government. All of our initiatives are supported by the people. All of our initiatives are aimed at ensuring that the Azerbaijani people live better. These projects, as well as other infrastructure projects, have the same goal – togive the people of Azerbaijan the opportunity to live comfortably and in prosperity, so thatall social problems areresolved and all infrastructure projects are implemented at the highest level.

In every city, including Bilasuvar, drinking water projects are designed with a view to the natural growth of the population by 2035. As far as I know, water supply has already started and will soon cover the entire city. In short, this project is important and has a great symbolic meaning. So such projects can be implemented only in the independent Azerbaijan. Only in the years of independence all of the problems facing the country can be successfully resolved. Our destiny is in our own hands, and the Azerbaijani people live better with every passing day, the Azerbaijani state becomes ever stronger and the implementation of state programs on the socioeconomic development of regions revitalizes our regions districts.

I have repeatedly visited Bilasuvar – both during my presidency and before. This is my fourth visit as President. The landscaping and creative work carried out here are certainly gratifying. I am sure that you are also delighted. The present-day Bilasuvarhas achieved such a level of development that it cannot be compared to the previous one. A beautiful city has been created. Beautiful buildings are constructed and streets improved. This square wasn’t here before. It has been established only recently. So everything can be done. There is a wonderful Heydar Aliyev Center, a new building of the Executive Authority, a park.

Everything is done for the people. I can say that our cities are rapidly improving and acquiring a different appearance. Work is underway for the comfort of our people. Various projects were also implementedin Bilasuvarearlier. An Olympic Center, schools and plants were built and jobs created. Rural roads were laid. Two major projects on rural roads are implemented.

The problem of rural roads in Bilasuvar will be fully resolved. Gasification, as I said, accounts for 90 percent, but it will reach 100 percent. Water supply will cover the entirecity.Water lines will be laid to villages as well.

These are our current realities. In Bilasuvar we see the development of regions and the results of the state policy. Of course, the most important all of these projects is the project that serves public health. This project is probably the most important among them.

I know that the central district hospital in Bilasuvaris not in very good condition. We will arrange for the renovation of this hospital. There shouldn’t be a single city in Azerbaijanthat does not have an excellent hospital.

Hospitals have been built and renovated in neighboring districts now. This will be done in Bilasuvar too.

If you have any suggestions, please share them with me and, of course, with the local executive authorities, so that wecould take them into account in our next investment programs. It is our duty to serve the people. A stronger Azerbaijan,

I want to say again, is the logical outcome of all this work. Once again I greet and congratulate all of you on the wonderful event.

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Doctor of Central Hospital Khoshbakht Agayeva expressed her gratitude to the head of state for the care and attention being paid to the development of Bilasuvar and all other districts of the country.

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President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. I see my long-time friend here. I have to say hello to him. In 2000, in the run-up to the parliamentary election, I participated in the election campaign as the leader of the "Yeni Azerbaijan Party" and toured the regions. I remember driving through here to the southern zone. This man was standing on the road. He greeted me. I stopped the car and we met. Since then, our friendship has continued for over 10 years. I haven’t seen him for a long time. He is a valuable and loyal person. I am glad that you, as always, are among the activists.

Then, President Ilham Aliyev reviewed the stands reflecting the master plans and technical parameters of Bilasuvar’s water supply system and the Mugan group water main.

Informing the President about the project, the chairman of the "AzerSu" Open Joint Stock Company, Gorkhmaz Huseynov, said that the city of Bilasuvar was supplied with drinking water from the "Janub" canal laid from the Araz River. In the absence of a water treatment plant in the city, the water was supplied to the population after settling. The local water utility served approximately 50 per cent of 21,000 city residents, while the rest of the population had to meet their needs on an individual basis. Drinking water was supplied to the city population according to a schedule – five days a week for seven to eight hours. Water lines were in an unusable state and there was no sewer system at all.

Then the head of state was informed about a project on the reconstruction of water supply and sewage systems of Bilasuvar. It was noted that given the long-term development plan until 2035, the project is designed to improve water and sanitation services provided to 26,000 people. According to the project, drinking water is supplied to Bilasuvar from a new source – the Shirvan-Mugan group water main. To this end, a 57-km gravity water main has been extended from a reservoir near the city of Salyan. To ensure uninterrupted supply of drinking water to Bilasuvar city, two water reservoirs with a combined capacity of 10,000 cubic meters have been built. Under the new project, the city will receive 158 liters of water per second, which will fully satisfy the needs of consumers. Work on an 89-km water distribution network in Bilasuvar has been fully completed and all 4,430 households have been connected to it. According to the project, a sewage network is being put in place in Bilasuvar for the first time ever. The construction of a 70-km portion of the 88-km sewage network has been finalized, while the construction of a 3-km sewage micro-tunnel continues. Waste water will be drained into the treatment plant to be built on the outskirts of the city. The project, which began in October 2011 and is financed from the state budget, will be completed in 2014. The Shirvan-Mugan group water main, which supplies drinking water to Bilasuvar, will also supply drinking water to 24 villages of the district.

President Ilham Aliyev was also informed about the Shirvan-Mugan group water main. The foundation of the pipeline was laid in a ceremony attended by President Ilham Aliyev on 16 July 2012. Some of the water from the Kura and Baku water mains will address the needs of Hajigabul, Shirvan, Salyan, Neftchala and Bilasuvar, as well as 121 villages of these districts, by means of the Shirvan-Mugan group water main. After the commissioning of the pipeline, 470,000 people will be provided with uninterrupted high-quality drinking water. Since April 2013, the pipeline has been supplying water to Hajigabul and since July to the city of Shirvan.

After reviewing the projects, President Ilham Aliyev launched the installation symbolizing the supply of drinking water to the city of Bilasuvar.

In conclusion, a photo was taken as a souvenir.