One could feel the warm breath of spring in Syghdash, a village affected with a mysterious quality heightened by its location in the foothills of the Talysh Mountains. That sunny day was the most joyful day in centuries for its residents. Their faces radiated triumph, for at last they had overcome the water shortages that their community had struggled with for over 500 years.Mr. DadashMammadov, an elderly resident of Syghdash, described their situation when he said, “During Soviet times, women used to bring water from the mountains in heavy metal jars. In recent years, community members transported water in trucks from long distances, only partially satisfying their need for potable water. We made a few attempts to get potable water by drilling artesian wells, but to no avail. We gained nothing from our efforts.