Coalition Priority: Restore Iraq's Essential Services

Defend America News ^ | Feb 23, 2006 | Sgt. Ann Drier

[SandRat]

Workers continue work on the Sadr City Water Treatment Plant, which is one of the ongoing essential services re-building projects in Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. Otto Busher
Coalition Priority: Restore Iraq's Essential Services
The infrastructure projects, while providing services previously unavailable in many parts of rural Iraq, also provide needed jobs and income for citizens.
By U.S. Army Sgt. Ann Drier 363rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment BAGHDAD, Feb. 23, 2006 — Most Americans have difficulty thinking about not having running water, flushing toilets, weekly trash pickup or electricity 24 hours-a-day. We take for granted the things that many other countries only dream of possessing. "Residents will have drinking water that they didn’t have before. Some 3.1 million people will be affected by this." U.S. Army Brig. Gen. David Halverson As part of the rebuilding of Iraq, coalition forces and the infant government of Iraq are working together to create an infrastructure that will provide these services to the entire country. Rebuilding a system of essential services that only existed in a few places where the more privileged lived is a difficult job. The average Iraqi citizens have never seen flushing toilets and never had safe electricity wired directly to their homes. The good news is that according to the Essential Services committee, since 2003, projects designed to bring services to areas within the boundaries of Baghdad and outlying areas number 1,279 started and completed. Projects including sewer lines, 104 and increasing; clean water lines, 194; and electricity substations, 106, have sprung up. Other projects, including trash collection services, education programs, materials and equipment procurement – approximately 875 in all, have also been completed. The efforts of contractors from around the world, working hand-in-hand with the U.S. Army and the Iraqi government have brought change in the lives of average Iraqi citizens. There are challenges for everyone involved, most notably the tendency for terrorists to destroy newly created services. “We really do work hard to realize the completion of these projects,” said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. David Halverson, assistant division commander for support. Work continues on the Sadr City Water Treatment Plant, which is one of the ongoing essential services re-building projects in Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. Otto Busher	Workers continue work on the Sadr City Water Treatment Plant, which is one of the ongoing essential services re-building projects in Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. Otto Busher “We’re leaning heavily on our Iraqi brothers to help stop the destruction and tell them that nothing good will come to them until the bad people stop.” Current on-going projects are sewer systems, 54; fresh water systems, 157; electricity stations and substations, 90, and various other operations including trash collection, 504. The work is continuing at the same time it is being transitioned to the Iraqi government body. The Turnover Committee is preparing a ‘punch list’ of deficiencies in the projects to address the hand-off of responsibility. “It’s a lengthy process, especially with the water and sewer projects,” said Halverson, “we have to make sure no new problems happen.” One example of successes in improving essential services is the 900,000 meters of sewer pipe laid in Rashid, which serves 200,000 people. The North Karkuk reservoir has been modernized and chlorinated, which brings clean water to Baghdad. “Residents will have drinking water that they didn’t have before,” said Halverson. “Some 3.1 million people will be affected by this.” These projects, while providing services previously unavailable in many parts of rural Iraq, also provide needed jobs and income for citizens. Throughout the region, 20,449 Iraqi nationals are employed working on all types of projects as of January 2006. According to U.S. Army Lt. Col. Otto Busher, Essential Services Team Chief, most family units number 10 people, so there is a significant employment impact on a neighborhood level. The top five objectives of the committee in the coming months will be: Securing National government support for Provincial & Amanat Government activities. Transitioning reconstruction leadership to local government. Establishing Karkh Water Treatment Plant electrical service. Transferring solid waste activities to Amanat; and Commissioning the Kerkh Waste Water Treatment Plant. According to committee members, one of the major issues facing the reconstruction efforts is providing security for these projects against insurgent activities. While it is still an issue, statistics show the number of projects targeted and destroyed has actually decreased during the past year.

[SandRat]

Building a New Future in Iraq

[marron]

This is a tremendous effort. I am proud of these guys.

[stm]

One of the first things the US Army (and several private contractors) did once Baghdad was secured, was to restore the power sub-stations originally destroyed as part of a "scorched earth" policy of Hussein's. But all the remaining Republican Guard and Fedyaeen did was blow them up again. This went on for months until we captured or killed all of them or they fled to the Sunni Triangle. Parts of the city would be in darkness while other parts had power and then they would switch because there was insufficient capacity to light the entire city at once.

[E.G.C.]

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