Four Iraqi children enjoy some fresh drinking water that’s now available in their community in northern Basrah Province. USACE photo by A. Al Bahrani.

“This is one of seven USACE water projects in the province,” said James Hodges, chief construction representative with the Gulf Region Division’s Basrah Area Office. “The $1.2 million reverse-osmosis plant is providing potable water for more than 20,000 Iraqis. It was completed June 20 and is now fully operational, producing 200 cubic meters per hour.”

Salah Ali, chief of engineering with the Basrah General Directorate of Water, said he is very pleased with the opening of the new facility, located alongside the Shatt Al-Arab waterway. It is connected to the national power grid and also has its own generator, ensuring 24-hour continuous power.

“It means a healthier environment for the entire community,” he added.

According to James Mills, area engineer with the Basrah Area Office, “This project and other essential service projects we’re overseeing are important because they positively impact Iraqis every day. With proper maintenance, these facilities will enrich Iraqi lives for decades to come.”

With a huge smile, Um Mohammed, a mother of six children, said, “We were anxiously awaiting the completion of this project. Now we don’t need to use raw water from the river or walk miles to buy bottled water. Clean water, for the first time, is reaching our homes. All we have to do is turn on the tap.”