Lebanon’s Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) has invited contractors to submit bids for the first construction contract on the estimated $100m Jbeil Caza water and wastewater project, located in northern Lebanon.

Contractors have until 12 November to submit bids for the prices.

The work will involve providing and installing potable water and wastewater networks for a total area of about 420 square kilometres. The potable water networks will involve the laying of pipes, construction of reinforced concrete water storage tanks and the equipping of pumping stations.

The wastewater networks will involve the laying of pipes, construction and equipping of pumping stations and the construction of a wastewater treatment plant.

The CDR has received a loan from the Italian government to build the water project.

In March this year, the CDR invited contractors to submit prequalification entries for the contract to build a tunnel and pipeline for the estimated $200m Greater Beirut Water Supply Project (GBWSP).

The project is designed to strengthen the capacity of the Beirut Mount Lebanon Water Establishment, the utility responsible for the operation and efficiency of the urban water supply in the area. The project is planned to improve water supply for more than 2 million people in southern Beirut.

The CDR, working together with Lebanon’s Energy and Water Ministry, received approval from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) in December 2010 for a loan to cover the project.

Experts have warned that unless Lebanon upgrades its water network, the state could suffer from chronic shortages as soon as 2020.