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NMCB 3 Seabees Upgrade Waste Water Treatment Pond in Iraq

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080707-04
Release Date: 7/7/2008 2:48:00 PM

By Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Dustin Coveny, 22nd Naval Construction Regiment Public Affairs

HABBANIYAH, Iraq (NNS) -- Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NCMB) 3, Detail Taqaddum (Det TQ), completed improvements to a waste water treatment system at Camp Habbaniyah, Iraq, June 19.

The new treatment system, which replaced an existing one that was in disrepair, will hold waste water for Camp Habbaniyah. The project improves the Iraqi Army's self-sustainment capabilities.

The old waste water system leaked and posed a health and environmental hazard to the personnel living on the camp. It consisted of a group of six small interconnected ponds with earthen containment walls that were beginning to collapse and show signs of seepage. Seabees replaced the old earthen walls with 24-foot walls, in some cases doubling the height of the walls.

"This is a big improvement from what was in place," said Chief Equipment Operator Adam Ward. "We constructed larger pits with stronger walls that have a geotextile fabric to strengthen the walls and prevent water from bursting through."

According to Ward, the water waste project at Habbaniyah is one of the largest project equipment operators in the Naval Construction Force have undertaken in the past decade. They moved an estimated 42,000 cubic yards of dirt to accomplish the work.

Seabees used scrapers, graders, dozers, dump trucks and rollers during the project and were able to finish two weeks ahead of schedule.

"We worked 12-hour days and only stopped for lunch and water breaks," said Equipment Operator 3rd Class Daniel Perry, project crew leader. "One time we stopped for an hour, because of a sand storm. We couldn't see our hands in front of our faces."

The project required every available equipment operator (EO) from Det TQ. EOs had to conduct extensive training to receive required licenses for every piece of civil engineering support equipment (CESE) used during the project.

"We were able to train junior Seabees on equipment they did not learn to operate during "A" School," said Equipment Operator 1st Class Michael Moreno, project supervisor. "We even had one of our engineering aides receive a license on a bulldozer. We needed every body on our crew."

Det TQ was able to issue 62 licenses to junior troops, greatly enhancing the capabilities of its Seabees.

The Seabees from Det TQ are proud of their huge accomplishment. They built a water waste treatment facility big enough to fit five football fields and hold 750,000 gallons of waste water.

"We will definitely turn the camp over in a better condition than we found it," said Lt. Patrick Jors, detail officer in charge. "I know our crew is proud of what they accomplished here, and they should be. This one of the largest earth moving projects the Seabees has conducted in ten years, and we completed it safely and ahead of schedule."

Seabees from NMCB 3 are providing general engineering support to Multi National Forces-West in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

For more information on the Seabees of NMCB 3 logon to www.seabee.navy.mil.

For more news from 22nd Naval Construction Regiment,
visit www.navy.mil/local/22ndNCR/.