Water bottling plant opens, begins production in southern Iraq

By 3d Sustainment Command Expeditionary Public AffairsJune 9, 2009

Water Bottling Plant opens, begins production in southern Iraq
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Destined for the new Oasis International Waters, Inc., water bottling plant at Contingency Operating Base Adder, the 39-ton PET Blow Injection Molder was stabilized by heavy lift cranes during unloading from the delivering aircraft, an Antonov An-124... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Water Bottling Plant opens begins production in southern Iraq
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Water Bottling Plant open begins production in southern Iraq
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Cheri A. Provancha, 3d Sustainment Command Expeditionary support operations officer in charge and Col. Robert F. Schmitt, 287th Sustainment Brigade commander listen to Maj. Stephanie J. Requa, class I subsistence officer in charge for 3d ESC, as... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq -- Leaders from the 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) and Oasis International Waters, Inc., opened a water bottling and purification plant during a ribbon-cutting ceremony here, June 8.

In preparation for the transfer of bases to the government of Iraq, the 3d ESC managed and coordinated the repositioning of Camp Taqqadum's Oasis water bottling plant, one of six plants in Iraq.

"Now that we are at a draw down period of forces, we looked at what was really needed," said Col. Cheri A. Provancha, 3d ESC support operation officer in charge. "The decision was made to cancel the request for a seventh plant and relocate an existing plant."

"There was a lot of cost savings that came out of this effort and we are able to get water in the right place on the battle field," she said. "This is definitely, one, in the win column for the U.S. Army."

The 3d ESC and 287th Sustainment Brigade logistical project was a success, the plant will provide bottled water to Coalition forces based in southern Iraq.

"The 287th (Sust. Bde.) did a tremendous job," said Maj. Stephanie J. Requa, 3d ESC class I (subsistence) officer in charge, a resident of Erie, Colo. "This plant is operational on the day it was supposed to open. There were no delays."

"It feels like a very noble and honored position to be able to provide water to the troops," said Larry M. Delk, the Oasis International Waters, Inc., bottled water plant manager and supervisor of the TQ move.

Since 2005, the Oasis International Waters, Inc., water bottling plant across Iraq produced approximately 32 million cases of bottled water per year for coalition forces.