Construction is set to begin next month on Iraq’s largest water purification plant, with capacity to supply 199,000 cmd of fresh water, with completion set for July 2016.

A consortium grouping Japan’s Hitachi, France’s Veolia and Egypt’s Arab Contractors recently won a ¥25bn ($240mn) engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract from Iraq’s Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works for the Basra desalination plant. The contract also includes five years of operation and maintenance post start-up. (CONTINUED - 292 WORDS)