"The work will start tomorrow, we are talking about a few days" - When will the water supply be restored?
The Director of Asset Management at Georgian Water and Power (GWP), Giga Nadiradze, announced that efforts to address the damage near Tsitsamuri will commence tomorrow.
In response to BMG's inquiry about the timeline, Nadiradze mentioned that the repairs would take several days but could not specify when the water supply would be fully restored to the approximately 100,000 affected customers. He indicated that the company would provide additional information about the timeline tomorrow.
"We have conducted certain preliminary measures and research, identified a contractor, and will start the work very soon. While it's crucial to provide a timeline, it's impossible to be precise in advance. The repair will take a few days and will not be prolonged, but once the work begins, we will have a clearer picture. The work will start from tomorrow," Nadiradze explained, noting that the selected contractor has significant experience, including work on the Shovi tragedy.
Until the completion of the repairs, customers will have water supply in a limited mode starting tomorrow morning, with specific schedules to be communicated in advance. Additionally, the company will provide water through cisterns.
"This doesn't mean users will be left completely without water during the repairs. We have already taken measures within our network to balance the shortage caused by the disruption. About 30% of various resources have been allocated. Starting tomorrow morning, customers will be on a schedule that provides water for a minimum of 3 hours and a maximum of 7 hours daily. We have also mobilized 15 cisterns that will be placed at different locations," said Nadiradze.
He also mentioned that water supply in Mtskheta, which was completely disrupted, has now been resolved. However, he noted that water consumption had exceeded the peak rates recorded last year and urged consumers to use water as rationally as possible.
"Peak consumption is usually recorded during the New Year period, and today's water consumption was 25% higher than the highest rate recorded during that time. This may be due to people feeling that their supply is at risk. I urge consumers to use water rationally. There is no danger of additional restrictions," Nadiradze stated.
On June 16, near the village of Tsitsamuri, one of the main central water pipelines supplying parts of Vake-Saburtalo and Gldani districts in Tbilisi and the city of Mtskheta was accidentally damaged. According to the company, eliminating the damage requires arranging a bypass network. The damaged section of the pipeline is located in the gorge of the Aragvi River, an area filled with bulk material by third parties over time, creating a large, geologically unstable slope. This artificially compacted land mass is prone to landslides and collapses during any manipulation, making it challenging to work with both manpower and equipment.