Shafaq News / In recent years, the Iraqi environment has endured a severe drought, exacerbated by the control of water levels resulting from dam construction by Turkey and Iran. This crisis has led to a significant reduction in water allocation for Iraq compared to previous years. In addition to these challenges, climate change, global warming, and rising temperatures have contributed to a decline in the water levels of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, raising concerns about their suitability for human consumption and posing a grave threat to local wildlife, fish populations, and biodiversity.

Raad Habib Al-Asadi, the President of the Environmental Tourism Organization, has confirmed that Iraq has witnessed a substantial decrease in the populations of animals across most regions in recent years due to these factors. Some of these species are now even listed on the international red list, including the Iraqi water dog, Euphrates softshell turtle, various bird species, and bunni and catfish.

Al-Asadi expressed concerns about the future of Iraq's marshes and its environmental situation, emphasizing that the drying up of the marshes has exceeded 90%, resulting in a loss of livelihoods for many farmers. Furthermore, the agricultural plan for the current summer season has been virtually nonexistent.

He also warned that the water scarcity issue is not the only concern. There is also a significant risk of contamination due to the discharge of sewage and hospital wastewater from various Iraqi governorates into the rivers. Alleviating this crisis requires the establishment of a comprehensive plan to secure Iraq's water resources and prevent the disposal of hazardous waste directly into the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Alarming pollution rates

In recent years, there has been a noticeable surge in the rates of cancer, respiratory, digestive, pulmonary, and internal diseases in Iraq. These health issues are primarily attributed to elevated pollution levels in water, as highlighted by Basim Al-Ghurabi, a member of the Parliamentary Health and Environment Committee.

Al-Ghurabi pointed out that pollution has worsened due to a general decline in water levels and the global climate crisis. Water pollution levels in 2021 far exceeded acceptable limits, and for the years 2022 and 2023, responsible authorities claim a lack of data on pollution levels due to limited resources and a shortage of specialized monitoring equipment.

Causes of pollution

Both Al-Ghurabi and Khaled Shemal, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Water Resources, attribute water pollution to a combination of factors. These factors include inadequate sewage treatment, as many treatment plants are not operating efficiently. Government institutions, such as sewage, electricity, health, industry, and oil sectors, are responsible for dumping approximately 80% of their waste into rivers without proper treatment, in addition to pollutants from the private sector.

The consequences of these actions are seen in water contamination and an increase in disease cases, particularly in the southern governorates with low water levels due to insufficient drainage, including Basra, Diwaniyah, Babil, Wasit, Muthanna, Maysan, Dhi Qar, and even Baghdad.

To address this crisis, they call for the development of a comprehensive ministerial plan to establish and monitor treatment plants in Baghdad and the governorates. Additionally, they emphasize the importance of launching an awareness campaign, guidance efforts, and legislative and institutional measures.

Al-Ghurabi and Shemal stress that the initial step should involve preventing responsible institutions from contributing to pollution entirely or, at the very least, reducing it to a level acceptable by international standards set by the World Health Organization or the Iraqi Ministry of Health.

Government measures

Water and environmental expert Ahmed Saleh highlighted the government's efforts to address the water crisis. These measures include agreements with Iran to release water into the Karun River and agreements with Turkey regarding periodic water discharges. Moreover, protocol agreements are anticipated to result from an upcoming meeting with Turkish President Erdogan during his visit to Iraq.

Saleh noted that these initiatives offer hope that environmental risks associated with the water crisis may diminish in line with the government's new strategies and vision.