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FALLUJAH, Iraq (April 3, 2008) - The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers' Gulf Region Division is directing an $85 million central
wastewater treatment facility for Fallujah's estimated 200,000
residents.
Started in May, the project is the largest in Anbar province and
is 45 percent complete, officials said.
The facility is projected to be sufficient for all of Fallujah's
wastewater treatment needs when the city integrates its own
collection systems later and through population expansion to
2025.
Included in the work is a collection system for 27 percent of
the present city population, trunk mains for the projected 100
percent capability, pump stations and a wastewater treatment plant
processing 10.5 million gallons daily. The Iraqi government will
develop the remainder of the collection system.
The facility is a "four-train" facility - a term that describes
a complete beginning-to-end treatment system that usually exists in
parallel and complementary sets with other trains. An operational
plant of Trains 1 and 2 should come on line by the end of August,
while Trains 3 and 4 likely will be complete around October 2008,
according to Peter Collins, a project manager with the Gulf Region
Central district.
Having several trains enables a treatment facility to handle
emergencies and to provide for future expansion, he explained. Two
trains are sufficient for Fallujah at its current population,
although the city is expanding faster than anticipated due to the
improved security in Anbar province, he added.
Key to the operation are two central pump stations that are
being finished more than 40 feet below ground level and will have a
pumping capacity of 40 million gallons daily. Fallujah's sewage
will be sent to inlet tanks, and then directed to aerated grit and
oil removal tanks, on to aeration tanks more than 60 yards in
diameter, sent to settling tanks and, finally, to a chlorination
contact chamber before release into the Euphrates River.
"The impact on the people of Fallujah and the environment of the
Euphrates River Valley will greatly improve the health of the
citizens, particularly the infants, both within the city, but also
downstream, where the Euphrates is the primary drinking source,"
Collins said. "By the end of this summer, there will be no
wastewater in the collection-connected streets, and children will
be able to play safely outside.
"This represents a monumental step forward for all Al Anbar
province," he continued, "and that is a great motivating factor for
those of us bringing this project on line."
Trains 1 and 2 are at the early stage of electro-mechanical
work, pending delivery of the major electro-mechanical plant.
Trains 3 and 4 are at the first stage of civil works. Earth fills
for the two huge aeration tanks and four final settling tanks are
in process, officials said.
Apart from a 450-member Iraqi work force, the project has 35
Iraqi engineers visiting the various project sites daily, checking
on the quality of the ongoing construction and encouraging worker
safety. GRD officials said they meet regularly with the various
construction firms on 13 separate contracts, as well as with city
and Iraqi ministry officials to ensure issues are worked out and
the project continues to completion.
A resident Iraqi safety engineer is expected at Camp Fallujah
soon. The addition of two safety engineers into the Fallujah
quality-assurance team will then give the project a defined safety
structure, officials said. Project supervisors can raise concerns
from Camp Fallujah and have them transmitted in Arabic to the
quality-assurance team, which will resolve the issues directly with
the contractor.
Safety and security in other areas are also noteworthy,
according to Awaf Abdul Rahim, a construction manager. Fallujah's
citizens are benefitting all-around.
"People are happy, because our community is safer now and there
are more American projects creating jobs in different areas," Rahim
said. "It's helped Fallujah's unemployment. With the improvement in
the security, we are inspired to work hard. Our construction crews
became more serious and active and are now getting more done."
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