The 29-month contract for the design and construction of the Kerrada dam and drinking water distribution networks for the Cheliff-Kerrada region of the MAO corridor, worth an estimated $98 million, has been awarded to an Italian/local team of Astaldi and Cosider.

A group comprising MH Luxembourg, Sogetra, the local Gesi TP, VAG and AWE has been awarded the $31 million, 15-month contract for drinking water to Wadi Tizi Ouzou on the Freha Azazga system. Scet Tunisiehas been awarded the 20-month contract for design and construction supervision on the development.

Eight groups have submitted bids for construction and initial operations of the Saf Saf dam in Tebessa: France's Razel; a consortium of Eser and Evren, both of Turkey; Belgrade-based Hidrotehnika Hidroenergetika; a group of Atac Insaat of Turkey and the local Algoturc; Italy's Condotte d'Acqua; China's Sinohydro; China International Water; and Cosider. Eight bids have been received for the engineering design and construction supervision contract on the project, and five bids have been received for the contract to provide technical assistance during the construction phase.

Bids have also been submitted for the studies and technical assistance on three projects to provide water distribution services to: the El-Aouana-Jijel corridor from the Kissir dam in Jijel; the Dahra region from the Kramis dam in Mostaganem; and the urban centres along the Koudiat Acerdoune-Ain el-Hadjel-Boughzoul and Ouadhias axis, from the Koudiat Acerdoune dam in Bouira. The projects are part of ANB's Alimentation en Eau Potable (AEP) programme, which aims to provide water distribution networks for the northern coastal region.

Companies have also submitted bids for technical studies and supervision work on a number of other projects, including: the development of the Ourkiss dam in Oum el-Bouaghi, the Kef Eddir dam in Tipaza and the Boussiaba and Kissir dams, both in Jijel; the second stage of the scheme to provide drinking water to Tissemsilt and the surrounding area from the Koudiat-Rosfa dam.