Ah, the problem project. It's not a new story, and sadly, it's not as if we're surprised when projects seem to spiral out of control, especially when it comes to those in the infrastructure realm. But this certainly has to rank as some of the worst project news I've heard in a while.
According to the U.S.-based Los Angeles Times, the $100 million sewage-treatment system project in Fallouja, Iraq is three years late, triple its budgeted costs and not even close to delivering on its goals:
"Sewage continues to run in the streets, and the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction found that the system may never be properly connected to individual homes, lacks the necessary fuel to operate and is unlikely to ever cover the full city."
There are certainly extenuating circumstances--and added risk factors--surrounding this project. But how did things go so wrong? An Associated Press story on the project points the finger at "unrealistic U.S. expectations from the start, repeated redesigns of the project, financial and contracting problems, and lack of good contractors to draw from."
It's the kind of laundry list of issues that anyone who has ever done time on a "problem project" is no doubt familiar with. The true question is how do you recover?
According to the U.S.-based Los Angeles Times, the $100 million sewage-treatment system project in Fallouja, Iraq is three years late, triple its budgeted costs and not even close to delivering on its goals:
"Sewage continues to run in the streets, and the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction found that the system may never be properly connected to individual homes, lacks the necessary fuel to operate and is unlikely to ever cover the full city."
There are certainly extenuating circumstances--and added risk factors--surrounding this project. But how did things go so wrong? An Associated Press story on the project points the finger at "unrealistic U.S. expectations from the start, repeated redesigns of the project, financial and contracting problems, and lack of good contractors to draw from."
It's the kind of laundry list of issues that anyone who has ever done time on a "problem project" is no doubt familiar with. The true question is how do you recover?
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