IRAQ EMBARKS ON LARGE WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23043, 6 September 1949, Page 6

IRAQ EMBARKS ON LARGE WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS

(From a Reuter Correspondent.)

BAGDAD. With plant and equipment arriving from Britain, a full scale programme aimed at providing a modern water supply and electricity schemes for towns and v.Jlages in Iraq will shortly be put in hand by local municipal authorities. Plans for the scheme were drawn up in 11)45, according to Sayid Abdul Razznq Shkara, Director-General of Municipalities, who has initiated the programme. "They take into account in each ease local requirements for the next 15 years, allowing for an annual population increase at the rate of 15 pci- 1000. Capacity of water-supply plants has been reckoned on the basis of 25 gallons per head per day,” he said.

The overall programme, based on the recommendations of a committee formed to study the needs of the various places in the country, is designed to cater for populated centres of: fl) Up to 5000; (2) Exceeding 5000 and up to 10,000; (3) Exceeding 10,000 and up to 20,000. Filtered water supplies are already available for Suwaira and Mahmudiyah and work is well under way at Aziziyah although it had to be suspended for a time because of floods. Various other southern points included in plans for filtered water supply and electricity, are Miqdadiyah. Hay, Abu Sukhair, Afak, Daghara, Hamza, Rumaitha and Faisaliyah. Qalat Salih and Rifa’l are to have waterworks only. Abdul Razzaq Shkara said that work is expected to begin before the end of the year. Mosul has a big place in the programme, with new waterworks and power station scheduled to be in commission about the end of this year. ‘‘The former, with capacity for 8,000,000 gallons a day, will enable Mosul to enjoy similar facilities to those in the capital,” said Sayid Abdul Razzaq. “The other, consisting of two generating sets of 300 k.w. each, will supplement the existing station of 1200 k.w. peak load. Plant for these schemes is already here,” he added.

The new power station at Bab-al-Baidh is the forerunner of future expansion in Mosul, envisaging the installation of GOO k.w. sets at the site. Two new generating sets, each of 200 k.w. will appreciably raise Hillah’s supply of electricity when they begin operating within the next two months. Provision has been made in the building for the accommodation of eight sets. The first shipment for a further order of 12 generators, each of 200 k.w., is on the way from Britain. These will replace worn out equipment at Karbala, Najaf, Amarah and Nasiriyah. Plans are now being considered for the supply of water and electricity to some 75 more towns.