Basrah, Iraq, October 2003 - Fishermen use nets to catch fish from a spillway in the Sweet Water Canal project that supplies all the fresh water to the city of Basrah and environs. The reservoirs must be drained before the accumulated silt can be removed. The serpentine walls within the reservoir are designed to slow the flow of water allowing solids to settle providing cleaner water to water treatment plants downstream. The 275km canal, storage reservoir and pumping stations have suffered from a lack of maintenance and will be rehabilitated by USAID partner Bechtel at a cost of almost $12 milllion. When completed by March 1, 2004 it will serve 1.75 million citizens of the Basrah region.