BAGHDAD – In an effort to restore clean water to the citizens of southern Baghdad, and virtually millions of Iraqi's further downstream, members of the Joint Reconstruction Operations Center are working together with agencies from U.S. Division-Center, the Government of Iraq and Japan to refurbish the Karkh Waste Water Treatment Plant.
Originally, the mission of the JROC, established in 2006 by U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey, was to coordinate and synchronize reconstruction efforts throughout Baghdad. That mission has been expanded in order to assist people working for the U.S. State Department and U.S. military in finalizing essential service infrastructure projects in and around the province of Baghdad.
In 2005, the Karkh Waste Water Treatment Plant was attacked by insurgents and subsequently looted. The attack left the plant inoperable, causing untreated sewage water to be dumped into the Tigris River daily, said Maj. Donald Westfall, the operations officer for the JROC, and native of Chardon, Ohio, assigned to 16th Engineer Brigade.
"It's almost like the facility is not there," said Shukri Rabadi, the sector lead for the JROC sewer section. "The sewage goes directly to the Tigris River without being treated."
Westfall, Rabadi and the team at the JROC have been meeting with both the Baghdad Sewer Authority and the Japan International Cooperation Agency to try to refurbish and expand the current facility, making it functional again.
"This mission is a priority for the Iraqi government," said Westfall. "The need for rehab and expansion is immediate."
If operational, the KWWTP, the largest waste water treatment center in Iraq, would meet the needs of over 3 million Baghdad residents.
"The international standard for the Bio-Oxygen Demand test in water is a result of less than 40 mg/per liter. The Tigris has levels that are over 12 times that amount," said Rabadi. "The rural people are drinking the contaminated water. They may get very sick from it."
In order to get the plant back online, significant time and financial investments will have to be made. The refurbishment of the current facility is estimated to cost $30 million and will take nearly a year to complete. Construction is expected to start later this spring. Additionally, Rabadi said the expansion will cost over $400 million and take two years to complete.
Once completed, the expansion is expected to double the waste water treatment capacity of the current facility. Construction is expected to begin in 2011 and will take 2-3 years to complete.
The JROC is responsible for ensuring that stakeholders in the reconstruction effort are aware of progress on the projects, and any issues that may arise. The JROC personnel continue to work with the BSA to check on the progress of the refurbishment. They also work with JICA to make sure the expansion continues.
While the projects are many, the goal is always the same: what can be done to help get Iraq running again?
"This is a good start. We have to keep going and continue reconstruction effort for years to come," said Rabadi.
| Date Taken: | 04.24.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 04.24.2010 10:46 |
| Story ID: | 48638 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 713 |
| Downloads: | 404 |
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