Troops Help Open Iraqi Water Treatment Plant

Members of the Minnesota National Guard helped open a new water treatment plant in Iraq.

The soldiers helped the Iraqi people open the plant with a reverse osmosis system, and also helped open a city park in the Al Batha Community.

According to the Mercury News, the request for help came from the area’s newly formed city council. The water table in Al Batha is high, and therefore salt rises to the surface, making the water undrinkable. The nearby Euphrates River is also undrinkable, due to contamination.

The project was overseen by Lieutenant Colonel Larry Herke, chief of staff for the First Brigade combat team, 34th Infantry Division. Herke told Mercury News that the new system should decrease the amount of time Iraqis travel to get clean water.

The plant was paid for the Iraqi people, while the US troops provided resources and additional knowledge.