UK ENGINEERING CONSULTANCY JacobsGIBB, a subsidiary of Jacobs, has been awarded a US$841,802 World Bank funded project to investigate the safety of 60 dams in Armenia with help from Trade Partners UK – the government body dedicated to providing UK companies with global expertise on international trade and investment.

The Armenian State Committee for Water Management commissioned the study in a bid to avoid dam bursts, which have the potential to cause widespread flooding, devastation to crops and make thousands homeless.

The project includes geographic investigations and seismic studies to assess the stability of dams in earthquake conditions, hydrological studies to check on the adequacy of their spillways, the identification of any necessary remedial works and the preparation of emergency plans.

‘We’ll be using our proven expertise to look out for defective dams and potential leakage problems.’ Said Peter Brettell, managing director of JacobsGIBB. ‘We are please to have this opportunity to work in Armenia and are grateful to the Trade Partners UK team at the British Embassy in Yerevan for helping us throughout the negotiation process.’