Hama, Central Syria (SANA) - Implementation work of the tourist and environmental project to revive Orontes River which includes operating 17 waterwheels on its banks will start soon once the design and technical studies are ready.
The waterwheels to be operated spread along the river to the bridge of October 6, near Bab al-Naher waterwheel.
Head of Hama City Council Mukhtar Hawrani told SANA that the project aims at preserving water flow throughout the year, which helps rescue the city from the problems of bad smell and harmful insects in summers due to the low water level and shallow water flow.
The project will contribute to promoting tourism movement through establishing tourism facilities, cleaning the river and building artificial fountains, lakes and waterfalls along the river.
Chairman of the study committee of the project Mu'tazz Baghdadi said the project comprises establishing two groups of pumping stations. The first contains three BS-1 pumps of 305 liters per second capacity which pump water into 4450 m long and 800 mm diameter steel pipelines. The pumps aim to transfer water from the treatment plant of the lower tank. A water tank will be built along the course of the river to store 60,000 cubic meters of water.
The second pumping station aims to transmit water from the lower tank to the four waterwheels. It includes six pumps of BS-2 type, each one pumps 630 liters per second, in addition to installing 1200 mm diameter steel pipelines with a total length of 9768 meters.
According to the Iranian ICM Consulting Corporation which supervises the study, the project is divided into 4 phases to identify the track of pipelines and places of pumping stations, specify the type of pumps and pipelines required, draw technical and engineering designs and plans and finally set up the executive file on prices, bill of quantities and operating mechanisms.
Hama Governor Ahmad Shahada Khalil said that the study of preserving Orontes flow and the waterwheels operating will be submitted to the government within one month to put the final touches before launching the project.
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2010
