Lebanon’s Council for Development & Reconstruction (CDR) has begun prequalification for the first phase of the Jeita Spring Protection project.

The project involves two packages; Machada wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and wastewater collection networks.

Contractors have until 28 April to submit documents.

The €12m ($13m) WWTP will have a capacity of 5,600 cubic metres a day, to serve 45,000 residents of the catchment area.

The sewage networks package involves a 20km main collector pipeline from Machada WWTP to Kfardbiane. To avoid the need for pumping stations, the gravity sewer pipeline will cut through the escarpment of the mountain, and will require the construction of an access road and work on difficult, steep terrain. The package also includes 115km of secondary and tertiary sewer networks in the towns of Zouk Mosbeh, Jeita, Balloune, Ajaltoun, Daraiya and Sehaile.

The project will be part-financed by a €23m loan from German development bank KfW, with remaining funds from the CDR.

German consultants Gitec are providing design and construction supervision services.

A list of five prequalifiers for each package should be released in June. CDR expects to issue a tender in quarter 3 of 2015.

The project is intended to protect the Jeita Spring. Around 1.9 million residents of Beirut depend on the drinking water supply from Jeita Spring, approximately 13 km northeast of the city. It is threatened by pollution, especially sewage. The nearby Dbaye sewage treatment plant does not have sufficient capacity.

The spring catchment area, covering 406 sq km, was studied by the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources. It identified areas of groundwater vulnerability where wastewater management is a priority.

Lebanon has high rainfall compared to other Middle Eastern countries. However uncontrolled urban expansion, lack of investment, and poor management and protection of groundwater resources is causing water pollution and shortages.