Monthly Progress Report No. 02

The project aims to improve water supply and distribution to the cities of Beit Ummar, Al-Arrub Camp, and Halhul in Hebron District. The project scope includes the installation of a new 11.5 kilometer, 750mm diameter main transmission pipeline, as well as the installation of 13 kilometers of network connections and the upgrading of approximately 10 kilometers of existing road along the pipeline alignment. The project is being implemented by APCO/ArCon Construction and Services, with Black and Veatch serving as the Engineer/CMC. The project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Contract No. 294-I-00-12-00005, with a total value of $16,512,214.50. The project is expected to be completed within 550 calendar days, with an estimated completion date of May 09, 2015. As of the end of December 2013, the project had achieved a planned percentage of completion of 3.8%, but the actual percentage of completion was 2.8%. The project team has been actively engaged in various coordination and meeting activities, including a pre-construction conference for all task orders, coordination meetings with local authorities, and joint walkthroughs to decide on water pipeline alignment. The project team has also been working on various aspects of the project, including safety, environmental compliance, traffic control measures, community outreach, and public information. A comprehensive health and safety program plan has been prepared and submitted to the CMC, while an environmental mitigation plan is under preparation and is expected to be submitted by January 07, 2014. Traffic control plan preparation has been sourced out to a specialty engineering firm and is under progress. The project team has also been engaging with local authorities and stakeholders, including the Beit Ummar Municipality, Halhul Municipality, and the Palestinian Water Authority. Temporary and permanent sign plans have been submitted to the CMC and approved, while a public relation plan is in progress to address community outreach and public information. Overall, the project team is making progress in various aspects of the project, including coordination, safety, environmental compliance, and community outreach. However, the project is still in its early stages, and significant work remains to be done to achieve the project's objectives.