Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
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www.mnc-i.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20090120-14
Jan. 20, 2009

Project to widen Bawi Canal begins

Multi-National Division –Baghdad

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Security Forces, local leaders and Multi-National Division Baghdad Soldiers participated in a ground breaking ceremony marking the widening of the Bawi Canal Jan.18 in the Salman Pak region, southeast of Baghdad.
 
The ceremony is one of a series of ground breaking projects to improve the infrastructure of the Mada’in and Marquez Qadas to improve the quality of live for the citizens.
 
Maj. Jason Joose, 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad executive officer, welcomed Iraqi Army Brig. Gen. Hussein, 45th Brigade Iraqi Army commander, Shaykh Qais, Mada’in tribal council chairman, and other representatives to the ceremony.
 
“Water goes from the water station to Salman Pak and flows from Wahida to Narwhan, so this benefits a large amount of people and land,” said Capt. Dustin Gray, battalion fire support officer.
 
The widening project will enable the water from the Bawi pump station to reach more people in the Salman Pak and Wahida area.
 
“The Bawi water pump station does not work at full capacity. It has four engines, able to put out five cubic meters of water per minute into the irrigation canal. Because of the size of the canal feeding water to the engines, only one or two engines can run at a time. By widening the canal, all four engines can run at once,” said Sadiq Hassim, project contractor.
 
The expansion will provide the area of Wahida with more irrigation and drinking water. The project will increase the overall capacity of the Bawi Canal an additional four cubic meters per second as the water moves through it, which is fed from the Bawi pumping station.
 
“This is a great day for all the citizens of the Mada’in,” said Joose. “Soon water will flow to arid areas due to the hard work by an Iraqi company, with local Iraqi labor, secured by Iraqi Security Forces and the Sawah. I am pleased the Coalition forces can play a part in this brighter future.”

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