The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili went to Kutaisi today, where he visited ongoing rehabilitation works on the crossroad of Newport and Gaponov streets. The President inquired detailed information about today's situation and stressed his attention on the future plans as well. The Project that envisages arrangement of new pipes on every street of the city, also the rehabilitation of reservoirs and starting facilities consist of three stages. 30 million GEL was issued for the first stage, water systems were totally changed on 50 streets of the city. Starting from 2011 Kutaisi will have 24 hour running water regime. The Prime Minister of Georgia Nick Gilauri and the Minister of Regional Development David Tkeshelashvili visited Kutaisi with the President of Georgia as well.

"It is very good that in the suburbs and automobile-factory settlement there will be 24 hour supply of running water, but according to this plan we are not able to change the situation in that part of the city where the majority of the population live. High apartment buildings are mostly located on Chavchavadze avenue, on Gamsakhurdia and Bukhaidze streets, so the economic activities are mostly concentrated in this part of the city. According to our old calculations Kutaisi needed 300 million GEL for these reasons. But envisaging the fact that all of this has already been done, 200 million GEL will be spent on the total rehabilitation of Kutaisi water systems", Mikheil Saakashvili noted and added "It is surprising that the Communists, who planned to build Kutaisi as the industrial center, forgot to arrange water and sewage systems".

Nick Gilauri noted that they are working on 24-hour water supply system in Kutaisi and the specific works will begin from 2011, as soon as 500 million GEL will be issued from Asian Development Bank for water supply systems only. He said that water supply system was one of the most difficult heritages that this government received.

"Full industrialization of Kutaisi is possible only in the conditions of full rehabilitation of water systems and after the implementation of new systems. Serious investors go only where there is full comfort. This first of all is important for our people, because besides their comfort the rehabilitation of water supply system will help them get jobs. The investments provide jobs for people. Investors need money for industrial and personal purposes as well", Mikheil Saakashvili noted.

The President of Georgia went to Kobuleti from Kutaisi and got familiarized with water systems rehabilitation process there. Mikheil Saakashvili visited the construction of new sewage system collector on Aghmashenebeli street. The starting facility and 6 500 thousand cubic meters reservoir in Village Kvirike will be activated in May. Besides the seashore strengthening works have also started in Kobuleti.

Press Office
of the President of Georgia