Baghdad sanitation services improve

[Barrett808]

Baghdad sanitation services improve
Fri Oct 15, 6:49 AM ET
By Caesar G. Soriano, USA TODAY

When Army engineer Capt. Tony Hearn arrived in Iraq in March to survey the sanitation situation, he found large areas of Baghdad were literally "a mess."

Trash was everywhere. Empty lots had become default landfills. Garbage collectors were underpaid. Few trucks were operating because they lacked parts. "On my first visit to one site, my boot got stuck in the carcass of an animal," Hearn says.

Houston native Hearn, 30, is part of the 8th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, a unit responsible for renovating SWET - sewer, water, electricity and trash - in western Baghdad. The unit quickly set about funding $2.4 million in projects to improve trash collection.

The first job was to get people back to work. Before the war, trash pickup was sporadic. Often, garbage collectors would skip routes in poor areas to work in neighborhoods where residents would tip collectors for extra service. So poor neighborhoods became massive dumps.

To improve performance, garbage collectors' salaries have been increased from less than $10 a month to $80 per month. Trash is now picked up at least once a week in Baghdad. The goal is twice a week.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=676&e=14&u=/usatoday/20041015/ts_usatoday/baghdadsanitationservicesimprove

[Newsjock]

1. Well, that settles it!

We've cleaned up the trash in Baghdad! Bush is my man! Four more years!

</sarcasm>