Lebanon

The closing date for bids for a $60 million coastal water supply project in Kesrouan has been fixed for 6 June. Bids were invited in February. The client is the Council for Development & Reconstruction (CDR). The Japanese Bank for International Cooperation has agreed to finance the project. The CDR was due to invite bids for the position of consultant in mid-May.

The CDR says the project, held up at the preaqualification stage for some time, was delayed by bureaucratic and technical factors. 'Some issues had to be cleared with the Electricity & Water Resources Ministry but more than one of the contractors requested an extension,' says a CDR spokesman.

Three other water supply projects are due to be carried out in the next 12 months. The Beit Mallat, Kfartoun/Akroun/Hrar and Jbeil water supply projects are estimated to cost a total of $68 million.