Development of the pipeline will begin at the intake site (Lisala) where special precautions will be taken to prevent aquatic fauna and other objects from entering the system. In addition, reservoirs will be constructed to deposit and remove suspended particles such as sand and silt. This will be accomplished by initially pumping the water into a big open conduit equipped with a grate and a threshold. Then water will enter a clear pond where the fine sand will settle. Specialized cleaning equipment will be installed and maintained regularly.

The corridor for the pipeline will be selected based on a number of factors, such as environmental and social impacts, engineering and design considerations, safety and security concerns, topography, just to name a few. A treatment plant will also be built, equipped with automatic process units to ensure effective and controlled dosing of the various chemicals necessary for a preliminary purification process.

The pipeline itself will consist of a series of large diameter concrete ducts between pump stations. They will be manufactured locally, using materials and labor along the routes. The discharges of water at the final destination are of such a magnitude that they are comparable to the minimum discharges of European rivers. Given the huge quantities of water, creation of adequate storage facilities will be addressed and designed to absorb any inadequacy between the supply and the consumption of the water.

While accurate projections of the total cost of the overall project are not practical at this time, the cost of the developed project is estimated to be $20 - 25 billion per pipeline.