Metito has secured a contract worth US$9 million to upgrade the main Freeha Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in the holy city of Karbala to treat an increased capacity of 60,000 m3 of effluent per day.
Located approximately 100km South-West of Baghdad, the facility upgrade is slated for completion in the final quarter in 2012.
Metito, which has been working in Iraq for 30 years and said the country is expected to invest US$5.3 billion into infrastructure over the next two years, will deliver the project in partnership with Iraqi group Balad Al Khebra.
Mustafa Hasan, general manager of Metito Jordan and Iraq, said: “Iraq is striving to improve infrastructure across the whole country which will create interesting opportunities for the water sector.”
Mohammed Al Ezzi, general manager of Balad Al Khebra, added: “The plant was built in the seventies in the suburbs while it is now considered to be the epicenter of Karbala. The city is witnessing a population growth and an increasing number of visitors which urges the need of such investment into the water infrastructure. Our work will ensure an improved quality of the treated effluent while eliminating odour problems in the surrounding area among other implications.”