Non-hostile activity in Iraq

In that the main stream media is camped out in or near the Sunni Triangle with their cameras etc, the bad guys concentrate their activities near the cameras to get maximum press coverage.

But there are things going on that don't involve shooting.

Subject: CPA South: Recent press releases (English/Arabic)

PR100: Landfill site will hold one million tons of rubbish

Work has started on a major scheme to construct a large landfill site and nine transfer stations which will be used to hold rubbish lifted from the streets of Basra city.

The transfer stations will be strategically placed around the city to collect waste lifted by small carts and vans which will then be collected by larger trucks and taken to the landfill site. This site will be located 6kms from Basra centre and will hold around one million tons of rubbish over the next three years.

A local Iraqi firm is carrying out the work which is expected to be completed within two months.

A spokesperson for CPA South said: ?The provision of these sites is the first stage in planning for more efficient waste management practices in the city. They were identified after a survey was carried out by the Municipality, in co-operation with CPA (S), which determined there was an urgent requirement to build storage facilities for waste close to the main areas where rubbish was being left.

?These sites are intended as short-term measures to address the problem of tons of rubbish lying around Basra. It is proposed that in the next three years more collection vehicles will be provided to allow the regular collection of waste in the city.

?Basra?s Public Works Department, CPA and British Army personnel recently organized a project to help clear the rubbish from parts of Basra city. Around 100 people were employed to help clear piles of waste from the streets.

?Much more needs to be done and we would encourage people living close to the transfer stations to leave their rubbish in them and not on the streets. Everyone has a part to play in helping to make Basra a more attractive city.?

PR101: Work underway to prevent further flooding in Maysan

The Directorate of Irrigation in Maysan, the Ministry of Water Resources and British Royal Engineers are involved in an operation to repair a major breach in the Glory Canal which is causing extensive flooding in the province.

Around 3000 people have been forced to leave their homes due to the flooding caused by a 50 metre wide breech in the canal, which runs through Maysan and Basrah. Tents and other necessities are being provided and some people have already moved to other locations to live with their families.

An Iraqi contractor has now been hired to repair the breech and it is hoped that the work will be completed within five days. The floods are now covering a 20sq km area of land.

It has been proposed that a joint committee should be set up between Maysan Marsh Council, representatives of Basrah Marsh Arabs, relevant Iraqi authorities and NGOs to discuss the relocation of those people affected by the flooding and to find ways of preventing further problems.

A spokesperson for CPA South said: ?The flooding is a result of melting water and rainfall in Turkey. This extra water has created a lot of pressure on the walls of the canal which have not been maintained properly since it was built over 10 years ago.

?The Directorate of Irrigation and the Ministry of Water Resources have reduced the amount of water entering the canal which has lowered the water level and will allow work to be carried out. Water is also being diverted into the marshes which are able to contain it.

?It is hoped that the joint committee will be set up within the next few days which will mean local people affected by the flooding will be able to take a role in solving this problem and working to prevent any future difficulties.?

PR102: Contract awarded for 40MW generator in Samawah

A contract has been awarded for the provision of a 40MW gas turbine generator in Samawah which will provide additional power to the area and the national grid.

This mini-power station will be owned and run by the Electricity Generation Company using gas supplied by the Southern Gas Company. It will be able to supply about half the load of the entire province, with the rest coming from the national grid.

The generator is expected to be up and running before the peak August season starts and will improve the electricity supply to citizens in Samawah and local industry in the area.

Civil works will start onsite in the near future while the construction of the turbine will start in the factory for initial tests before it is shipped to Iraq and rebuilt. US company Foster Thompson were selected from over 30 international bids as their tender was the cheapest and met all the necessary conditions.

A spokesperson for CPA South said: ?This generator will be the first power plant to be built in Samawah. It will give an extra 40MW of power to the national grid and provide stable voltage and power supply at a very weak point on the grid.

?Citizens in Samawah will have a more stable power supply just in time for the very hot and humid month of August. The generator will also give extra power to the cement factory which is a major employer in the area and important for the economic stability of the area.

?The contract will involve extensive use of Iraqi sub-contractors and create many jobs for local people and providing a further boost for the local economy. It is one of many contracts recently awarded by CPA South to improve the generation and distribution of power supply to people in southern Iraq.?

PR103: New projects start to clean up Basra and Al Zubayr

Thousands of tons of rubbish will be removed from the streets of Basra and Al Zubayr as part of three new contracts to clean up the province.

In Basra city, two contracts valued at $100,000 each will remove around 5000 tons of waste from the city each week. The clean up will focus on a number of areas in Basra including one of the busiest shopping and commercial centres in the south-east of the city. The British Army will be working closely with the Municipality and a contractor, who will be providing the additional equipment required to transfer the rubbish to a landfill site 5kms outside Basra.

The work will continue for up to 10 weeks and will provide employment for 500 local people. A similar project has started to lift rubbish in Az Zubayr, the $60,000 project has already started and will last for around two months.

Staff Sergeant Wayne Alcock, head of the Basra Solid Waste Support Team with the British Royal Engineers said: ?The new schemes follow an extremely successful clean up operation in Basra, however, despite removing a massive amount of rubbish there is still much work to be done and everyone must help to keep Basra clean.

?We are working closely with the Public Works Department to shift the huge amounts of waste that are creating a health hazard and spoiling the appearance of Basra. New transfer stations will soon be built to hold rubbish in the city centre and we would encourage people to start dumping unwanted items there.

?As well as lifting waste and litter, the streets will also be cleaned helping to improve the appearance of the city and make it a more pleasant place to live for all its citizens.?

PR104: Water trucks deliver low-cost drinking water for Al Tannumah

Six water trucks have been given to Basra Water Authority to help start the production and distribution of Reverse Osmosis (RO) treated water to thousands of citizens in Al Tannumah, on the eastern bank of the Shatt Al-Arab.

The trucks will deliver high quality, low cost drinking water from Al Tannumah RO plant to13 distribution centres in the area, and are part of a $2.7m project to install RO plants and distribution centres throughout Basra city. Up to 90,000 people in the area will be able to purchase water at a cost of 150 ID for 20 litres, around half the normal price.

Seven RO treatment plants were donated to Basra by Kuwait late last year. Al Tannumah is the first installation to be completed under a scheme funded by CPA South. Once completed, these plants will supply a total of 64 distribution points throughout the city. The distribution points have been selected to be within a short walking distance for city residents.

A CPA South spokesperson said: ?The aim of this project is to give everyone in Basra the opportunity to buy good quality, affordable drinking water. CPA South has worked with Basra Water Directorate to select locations for the distribution centres.

?The provision of clean drinking water is an essential part of keeping communities healthy. CPA South will continue to work closely with Iraqi authorities to ensure that people in the four southern provinces are provided with all the essential services they need to help them grow.?