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Muzmolot Gets a Well

Oct- 4-2006 » Filed Under: 3/2 SBCT

by Spc. L.C. Campbell, 138th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

MOSUL, Iraq (October 1, 2006) – The Civil Affairs Team A, 5th battalion, 20 Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division provided an essential service to the citizens of the Muzmolot village.

The Team completed an assessment and identified a need for clean drinkable water. They put out requests for bid to build a new well. Iraqi contractors placed their bids and the well was completed Sept. 11, at a cost of approximately $17,000.

Muzmolot was paying 25,000 Dinar, which is about 8,000 U.S. dollars for a truck to deliver water once a month. The village is comprised of mostly farmers and sheepherders who have little money to pay the fee.

The new well will bring water to approximately 300 residents in the village. It is currently being operated by a generator, but locals are working with the Directorate General of Electricity to run power to the village.

“Money for the completion of the well came from the Commanders Emergency Response Program,” said Capt Timothy Krause, team leader, CATA, A3, 403rd CA Bn. “It is money that can be used to help fix an immediate need for the local nationals.”

CERP is a military program that allows commanders to rapidly respond to urgent humanitarian, relief, and reconstruction needs in their geographic area of responsibility.

According to Krause, all the materials used to build the well were purchased through the contractor that was hired to work on the project. This added a needed boost to the local economy.

Residents in the village were hired to help do the work to complete the well, which gave the locals a steady paycheck to help support their families.

It is important that CF support the local economy, ensuring that essential services such as water are available for humanitarian purposes.

“I think Coalition Forces are making progress,” said Krause. “It is slow and there is so much to do, but we are making progress and helping improve the quality of life for Iraqis.”


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