The project is about the construction of a long tunnel with a 2.8-metre-diameter and a 9.5-kilometre, twin 140-centimetre pipeline, as part of the Greater Beirut water supply project . This tunnel and pipeline will be built for the estimated $370 million Greater Beirut Water Supply Project in Lebanon. The project is being implemented in joint venture. Phase 1 of the scheme will cover transferring water from the Joun reservoir through underground tunnels to a 75 million cubic metre water treatment plant in Wardanieh and onwards to three (3) bulk storage reservoirs through (2) twin 24 kilometre water tunnels. The first tunnel will be from Joun to Wardanieh and the second from Wardanieh to Khalde. The water comes from a hydroelectric power station that currently discharges into an existing water course running to the sea. More in detail, moving south to north, civil works will include the construction of a connection to an existing and currently unused tunnel, the construction of a discharge chamber, and the excavation of the first tunnel up to Ouardânîyé, where a water purifier (not included in this contract) will be built. Client has invited expressions of interest from consultants by October 20, 2011 to oversee construction of the scheme. The selected consultant will advise on the tunnel and pipeline scheme. About six pre-qualified engineering consultants will be short-listed to bid for the contract. The scheme has received approval from International Bank for Reconstruction & Development (World Bank) in December 2010 for a loan to cover the project.