Iraqi authorities move to contain massive river pollution crisis near Baghdad

 Iraq’s environment minister said Tuesday that authorities have contained the pollution crisis affecting the Diyala and Tigris rivers, following days of emergency measures including water tanker deployments and coordinated action across multiple ministries and municipalities.

Environment Minister Halo al-Askari said the Environment Ministry, Water Resources Ministry and municipal authorities “were able to contain the phenomenon,” adding that the government is working “to improve the condition of rivers and attempt to prevent their pollution by applying the applicable laws and regulations,” News.Az reports, citing en.964media.

The crisis was caused by a combination of sewage leakage from Rustumiya drains into the Diyala River and heavy sediment carried to the surface of the Tigris by rising floodwaters, with the worst contamination concentrated at the confluence of the two rivers southeast of Baghdad and extending downstream to southern governorates. Authorities deployed water tankers to supply residents in Al-Mada’in, Basmaya and other affected areas, with Baghdad Municipality saying a new wastewater treatment project with a capacity of 105,000 cubic meters per day is expected to begin operating soon.

Water Resources Minister Aoun Diab said earlier that dredging alone cannot solve the problem, stressing that “dredging does not fundamentally solve the problem if sources of pollution are not stopped,” and that sewage discharge into waterways had been recorded in multiple governorates including Baghdad and Maysan.

The ecological toll included the death of large quantities of fish in floating fish farms along the Tigris from Suwayrah to areas north of Kut. Authorities in Wasit pledged to compensate affected farmers and fish breeders following damage assessments.

News.Az