3 0 ▁million ▁World ▁Bank ▁loan ▁concluded ▁that ▁mis management ▁and ▁cor ruption ▁among ▁government ▁officials ▁and ▁private ▁fir ms ▁was ▁the ▁reason ▁of ▁the ▁failure ▁of ▁the ▁program ▁to ▁upgrade ▁Y ere van ' s ▁batter ed ▁water ▁infrastr ucture . ▁ ▁The ▁World ▁Bank ▁issued ▁the ▁loan ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁improve ▁Y ere van ▁residents ' ▁access ▁to ▁drink ing ▁water . ▁ ▁The ▁government ▁promised ▁to ▁ensure ▁around - the - clock ▁water ▁supplies ▁to ▁the ▁vast ▁majority ▁of ▁households ▁by ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁but ▁as ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁most ▁city ▁residents ▁continue ▁to ▁have ▁running ▁water ▁for ▁only ▁a ▁few ▁hours ▁a ▁day . ▁ ▁Ve olia ▁En viron nement , ▁the ▁French ▁utility ▁giant ▁that ▁took ▁over ▁Y ere van ' s ▁loss - making ▁water ▁and ▁se wer age ▁network ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁has ▁said ▁that ▁it ▁will ▁need ▁a ▁de cade ▁to ▁end ▁water ▁r ation ing . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Bruce ▁Task er , ▁a ▁Y ere van - based ▁British ▁engineer ▁who ▁had ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁parliament ary ▁inqu iry ▁as ▁an ▁expert , ▁public ly ▁imp licated ▁not ▁only ▁Armen ian ▁officials ▁and ▁business men ▁but ▁also ▁World ▁Bank ▁represent atives ▁in ▁Y ere van ▁in ▁the ▁alleg ed ▁mis use ▁of ▁the ▁loan . ▁In ▁an ▁October ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁news ▁conference , ▁the