A contract for consultancy services for the offshore elements of the $100 million water export project from Manavgat in southern Turkey has been awarded to the US' Intec Engineering by the State Hydraulic Works (DSI). The project involves diverting flows from the Manavgat river to a treatment plant, before piping the water to an offshore platform. Israel is taking a close interest in the scheme with a view to purchasing the water (MEED 18:11:94).

The award follows a rebid in the summer after tenders submitted in the spring were over budget (MEED 7:10:94). The offshore elements of the project comprise a valve control chamber on the shore, four submarine pipelines, and two single point mooring facilities. The award also includes a review of the hydraulic design of the whole scheme, and studies for a sea platform if required.

The offshore works are expected to be completed in 1996. Work onshore has already been completed by the contractor for the whole scheme, the local Aydiner. Its subcontractor for the offshore works is the Netherlands' Blue Water Shipping.

The offshore works include a water intake structure, pumping stations, pipelines and a water treatment plant with a daily capacity of 250,000 cubic metres. Israel reportedly is discussing the purchase of 180 million cubic metres annually at $0.45 a cubic metre.

After talks with Prime Minister Tansu Ciller during her recent visit to Tel-Aviv, Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Shimon Peres said that agreement had been reached to move forward with the water deal, but that feasibility studies would have to be carried out. Israel is also proffering its irrigation expertise to the southeast Anatolian (GAP) development project (see Feature, page 22).

No method of transporting the water to Israel has been chosen, but one proposal is for large plastic containers to be towed across the eastern Mediterranean. However, critics say these might prove to be a shipping hazard, and that tankers might be a better option.