 U.S. Military
The $6.5 million project aims to improve sanitation, living conditions and ultimately public health for residents by removing sewage from the streets, repairing damaged pipes and clearing blockages in the lines, according to Ferdinand Guese, USACE project engineer. Guese said work started last fall on the storm water and drainage networks project and is scheduled to be finished by July. The project involves providing an asphalt layer for more than 12,000 kilometers of road with a five centimeter overlay on the existing 10 centimeter thick pavement and will include providing an asphalt layer, 10 centimeters thick, for about 1,000 kilometers of new road. "The work also includes supplying all the equipment, labor, and materials necessary to build 33,493 linear meters of street with canal side frames at 10-centimeters of thickness and 30 centimeters wide," added Guese. Laboratory testing was carried out in accordance with requirements of the Iraqi regulations for highways and bridges, according to an Iraqi project engineer working with the Basrah Area Office. "Everyday usage by the local population is seen as the main reason for these roads," he said. The project entails supplying the appropriate equipment, labor, and tools required to maintain repair and replace 40,000 linear meters of transporting lines, sub lines, storm water distribution pipes, he added. "The project also involves about 78,378 square meters of paved traffic island," he said Additionally, two sewage pumps have been installed with the capacity of 1,000 cubic meters per hour for each. These pumps will be able to force rain water and liquid sewage away from populated areas, said the engineer. "These projects were requested by the Basrah governorate and the Basrah Director General (DG)," said Guese. "They selected the roads to be upgraded. They are aware of the needs and desires of the local people." The DG and his engineering staff assist the contractor and provide all permits and drawings showing utilities, crossing sewer pipe elevations and manhole numbers to accomplish this work, he noted. "This is a large project" Guese said. The road and sewerage rehabilitation in this area is seen as a very positive thing and has the full support of the immediate local population. The affected neighborhoods have experienced routine flooding in recent years, noted Dan Foltz, a resident engineer for the BAO, adding that these projects should abate that problem. Note: A. Al Bahrani is a Public Affairs Specialist with the Gulf Region South district, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Iraq. ADDITIONAL PHOTO:
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