Work has begun on a landmark waterfront project at the site of the Dubai Festival City.

The 'city', located on a 1,200 acre site near Al Garhoud Bridge, is being developed by Al Futtaim Investments, a unit of the Al Futtaim Group.

The work under way calls for the relocation of two existing sewer and irrigation lines that run through the construction site along the bank of Dubai Creek. These services are being relocated to the edge of the site to allow for the construction of phase one of the Dubai Festival City.

The Dh47.6 million ($12.96 million) contract to construct the pressure mains has been awarded to Al Naboodah Engineering Services, which will install new sewer and irrigation lines along the outer perimeter of the Dubai Festival City site.

Following the construction of the two parallel pipelines, each of which will be 8 km long and 1,200 mm and 1,300 mm in diameter, sewage and irrigation water will be diverted from the existing pipelines to the new, and the redundant lines can then be removed. The relocated lines will have larger capacities than the existing ones.

Construction of phase one of Dubai Festival City will begin after the sewer works have been completed by the end of September.

When completed, the Dubai Festival City will be a waterfront crescent that will include entertainment, dining, shopping, hotels, offices and residential components.

The first phase of the Dubai Festival City is due to be completed in 2006.

The map of Dubai Festival City showing the sewer lines.