Construction Monthly Progress Report 03 – January, 2015: Jericho Collection System Expansion – Phase 1A Branch Sewers-JCSI

The USAID objective is to help the Palestinian economy by improving Palestinians' access to basic infrastructure and services. The objective of this Task Order is to build upon the 28 km of phase I Trunk Sewers implemented by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). In addition to the trunk sewers, JICA is also in the process of completing the 10,000 cubic meters/day Jericho Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to which the collection system connects. This Task Order will expand the collection system through construction of the Phase 1A Branch Sewers, providing the City of Jericho with the opportunity for additional residential and non-residential connections and increased flow to the Jericho WWTP. The project involves the construction of approximately 12.5 km of 8" diameter PVC gravity sewers, 468 precast reinforced concrete manholes, 2.0 km of 6" service laterals, 585 connection pits, and 0.81 km of paved roads. The project also includes the procurement of one combination Jet Vacuum Sewer Maintenance Truck. The project is located in Jericho Governorate in Area A, and the contract value is USD 4,449,992.00. The project has a contractual period of performance of 330 calendar days, with an estimated completion date of October 2, 2015. The project's scope of work includes the extension of branch sewers into high-density priority locations within the City of Jericho, connecting to existing Phase I trunk sewers. Safety is a critical aspect of the project, and a comprehensive standard safety plan was submitted to the Construction Management Contractor (CMC) and accepted. The project has implemented traffic plans to manage traffic flow and ensure safety during construction. The project has also conducted safety meetings with CMC and USAID during site periodic visits. No accidents or notices of unsafe conditions have been reported during this reporting period. Environmental compliance is also a key aspect of the project, and a comprehensive Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan was submitted to CMC and accepted. The project has implemented traffic control measures to minimize disruptions to traffic flow. Community outreach is also an important aspect of the project, and the project has distributed flyers and conducted awareness visits to local radio stations to inform the community about the project. The project's progress is being monitored through a project dashboard, which tracks the contract elapsed time, planned percentage of completion, actual percentage of completion, and float. As of January 2015, the contract elapsed time is 26%, the planned percentage of completion is 7.14%, and the actual percentage of completion is 3.30%. The project has a float of -5 days, indicating that the project is behind schedule.