Main water pipe break leaves two-thirds of Sidakan district without water

SIDAKAN, ERBIL — Nearly 750 households in Sidakan District, north of Erbil, are without water after a major water pipe was broken by a local construction company on Monday.

The incident occurred at the entrance to Sidakan district during construction work on the Sidakan road by the Himdad construction company. The main drinking water pipe broke, leaving a significant part of the district without water and affecting nearly 750 homes.

“One of the main water pipes in the district broke, leaving two-thirds of the district without water. Today, two neighborhoods are without water, and by tomorrow morning, more neighborhoods will likely be affected,” Qaraman Sheikho, head of Sidakan’s water department, told 964media.

Sheikho explained that the district’s entire water supply comes from a single source and is distributed to homes through two separate pipes. One of these pipes, with a diameter of eight inches, broke during the construction work.

He added that repairing the pipe is the responsibility of the company working on the Sidakan road. The broken pipe has not been fixed yet but is expected to be repaired by Tuesday evening.

The head of the Sidakan water department criticized the contractors, stating that they are not careful in protecting the water pipes during construction, which leads to frequent breaks and inadequate repairs.

According to Sheikho, the district’s water source is snowmelt from nearby areas, located about 15 kilometers from Sidakan.

Sidakan, located northeast of Erbil, is part of the Soran Autonomous Administration. Characterized by its mountainous and limited plain areas, Sidakan is ideal for livestock farming and agriculture.