Engineers survey Nasiriyah's $7M water system

Photo By Creighton Holub | A water tower, near Nasiriyah, provides clean water for citizens of southern Iraq. The structure is part of a new supply system that also supports four smaller towns nearby.  

TALLIL, IRAQ

02.24.2009

Story by Spc. Creighton Holub 

4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – American military and civilian engineers took to the sky for an eagle's eye view of the water systems of Nasiriyah and four smaller surrounding cities recently.

The final project, estimated to reach $7 million upon completion, will provide water to the citizens of five cities in the Dhi-qar province of southern Iraq. The current system includes a treatment plant and elevated water towers that were installed in 2007 and subsequently turned over to the Iraqi government.

"There are existing [water] networks, but they're in terrible shape," said James Thompson, a mechanical engineer working in the public works division of the Army Corps of Engineers' Gulf Region Division based in Contingency Operating Base Adder. "This new network is going to have a greater effect per person. This is a project that the people are going to see and experience immediately. They are going to get water where they've never had water before."

The Iraqi government is funding the project and is receiving guidance from the engineers in order to make the system as sturdy as possible.

The engineers traveled by helicopter for an aerial view of the water pipelines, water treatment plants and water towers in the Dhi Qar province, which is currently the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division's area of operations.

The units are set to use the information to finalize the water project before the combat team's scheduled departure of southern Iraq during early summer.

According to Thompson, the upcoming pipeline system will serve the 500,000 citizens in the Dhi Qar province and will reduce the number and amount of leaks; providing more water for the citizens to use.

"I have a better understanding of the topography and soil structure where the water distribution project is taking place," said Maj. Thomas McBroom, a Commander's Emergency Relief Program project manager assigned to 602nd Engineering Detachment. "We're going to be running water distribution pipes through five cities. While we were out there, we saw several CERP projects to include the Nasiriyah tree nursery and a few schools. They are all small projects in comparison to the water distribution project."

Even if the water project is not complete before the summer, the 4th BCT commander explained that returning to the United States does not mean the Iraqi people will be left behind with unfinished business.

"We will be redeploying before we know it," said Col. Philip Battaglia, the brigade's commander. "[But] we're setting the conditions for success."

Moreover, having clean, healthy water makes success easier for the Iraqis.

• Date Taken: 02.24.2009
• Date Posted: 02.24.2009 09:39
• Story ID: 30372
• Location: TALLIL, IQ