Another Project Complete

It's really a shame that pretty much the only things happening in Iraq are death and destruction, which is the impression you get if you only watch the evening news or don't bother to look online a bit. For example:

MOSUL — The US Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region North district is turning
water faucets on in Mosul homes with the recent completion of five water pump
station projects in that city.

Mosul is one of Iraq’s largest cities with more than1.5 million residents.
Water pump stations are an important part of any city’s infrastructure – they
are what keep water moving between a water source, water treatment facilities
and consumers.

Beyond alleviating water shortages, the newly refurbished pump stations will
combat illnesses associated with drinking unclean water – a danger to the very
young and very old.

“It’s a joy to see the effects on the community and the security situation in
an area when the people realize that their lives will be positively impacted as
a result of one of our infrastructure reconstruction projects,” said Maj.
Jennifer Munro, Gulf Region North’s Deputy Mosul Area Engineer.

A welcome secondary effect of infrastructure reconstruction such as this is
the blow it delivers to the insurgency. Clean water makes life easier for the
Iraqis who are connected to the refurbished water pump stations in Mosul – and
when life is easier joining the insurgency is less enticing.

“In nearly every community supported by a water sector reconstruction project
the security situation has improved upon completion of the project,” said
Munro.

The US Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region North district was tasked with
1,500 projects in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, at a cost of nearly 2.6
billion dollars. GRN has completed more than 1,100 those projects.

Not only do we have brave men on patrol, providing security and hunting down scumbags in Iraq, we also have brave men and women providing life changing services. How cool is that.