'We need urgent action'
Rising groundwater threatens up to 400 homes in Salah Al-Din’s Dhuluiya district
SALAH AL-DIN — Rising groundwater levels in the Hawi Al-Ahbab area of Dhuluiya are putting homes at risk, with several incidents of structural damage already reported. Local authorities attribute the problem to the area’s low elevation, an obsolete irrigation trench and unsuitable soil conditions. Parts of Samarra have also been affected.
Residents, many of whom are displaced persons, fear they may be forced to move yet again. “We are residents of Hawi Al-Ahbab, and the high groundwater levels here are threatening many houses,” resident Muzhem Jarallah told 964media. “We call on the government, especially the governor of Salah Al-Din, the prime minister, and the Dhuluiya Irrigation Department, to find solutions. We were displaced by security conditions, and now we might be displaced again due to groundwater threatening to collapse our homes.”
Another resident, Hamza Atallah, said, “There are around 300 to 400 houses in this area, and we are at risk of losing our homes due to the rising groundwater. We urge the authorities and the prime minister to address this issue as soon as possible.”
Ghasan Faiq echoed these concerns, noting, “The groundwater is eroding the foundations of some homes. If nothing is done, we will be forced to relocate again. We need urgent action.”
Dhuluiya District Administrator Awad Mathhar confirmed the severity of the problem, explaining its origins. “The eastern Hawi Al-Ahbab area was previously abandoned land. After the events of 2014 [the ISIS war], locals sold these lands to displaced families, turning it into a residential area. However, the soil here, known as ‘sabkha,’ is unsuitable even for agriculture. If you dig two meters, groundwater flows in from nearby farms and elevated lands. Additionally, a closed irrigation trench near the area exacerbates the salinity.”
Mathhar said a multi-agency committee—comprising local administration, municipal authorities and the Dhuluiya Irrigation Department—has been established to address the issue. “We will submit a report to the Salah Al-Din governorate and provincial council for resolution. Immediate municipal action is needed in the area, including constructing roads, water pipelines and drainage networks, as well as connecting a trench to the Tigris River to drain the groundwater.”