July 27, 2006

A WATER expert has flown out to Iraq to help provide safe water for locals after the British Army put in a special request for his skills.

Douglas Smith, a TA reservist, jetted to Basra three months before he should be called up to share his expertise.

He will be working to improve the country’s shattered infrastructure so that Iraquis have clean water supplies.

Mr Smith, from Rosneath, is no stranger to Iraq as he was sent to the country during the conflict in 2003.

When army top brass found out he worked for Scottish Water, they moved him into an engineering unit to help get water supplies running again and he stayed there until 2004.

On the current three-month tour, Warrant Officer Smith, 45, will be part of a new specialist unit of the Royal Engineers.

The dad of two was happy to return to southern Iraq even though reservists should be back home for three years before they are allowed to return to a war-zone, and his bosses at Scottish Water agreed to release him.

He said: “The army feel that with the knowledge and expertise and contacts that I have in Iraq I could be very useful.

“I feel that it is something that has to be done and I feel I need to make as much right as I possibly can.”