Shafaq News- Baghdad

Millions of Iraqis are being exposed to cancer-linked and hormone-disrupting pollutants through the Tigris River, Iraq’s main source of drinking water, an environmental watchdog warned on Saturday.

In a statement, the Iraq Green Observatory explained that the river contains “extremely dangerous” organic contaminants affecting residents in Baghdad, Wasit, Maysan, and Basra, all of which depend on the Tigris for daily human consumption.

Detected pollutants include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), phthalates such as DEHP, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) –substances associated with cancer, endocrine disorders, and liver and kidney damage. The group warned that these chemicals are difficult to remove using conventional water-treatment systems and pose long-term risks to human health and ecosystems.

The Observatory added that pollution intensifies downstream from Baghdad, driven largely by untreated sewage, industrial discharge, and agricultural runoff flowing directly into the river.

Other independent findings, including Iraq’s Strategic Center for Human Rights, have reported pollution levels in parts of the country’s rivers at 70–80% above safe limits, citing industrial and medical waste as major contributors.

Despite more than a dozen environmental laws passed since 2003, enforcement remains weak. An earlier Federal Board of Supreme Audit review found fewer than 20% of industrial facilities undergo regular inspections.

Read more: Pollution gnaws at Iraq: Laws without teeth, fines without impact