Iraq’s water committee approves new measures to tackle drought and pollution

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Higher Committee for Water, chaired by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, approved a series of decisions on Monday aimed at addressing worsening water scarcity and reducing pollution in the country’s major rivers and canals.

“We need bold steps to secure water resources, regulate usage, and reduce pollution,” Al-Sudani said during the session, emphasizing the role of advanced technology in modernizing Iraq’s water infrastructure.

The prime minister called for immediate action to implement reforms and modern irrigation techniques, particularly in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, which oversees large portions of water use in the farming sector.

In March, Water Resources Minister Aoun Dhiab said 2025 has been drier than recent years.

Full statement from Al-Sudani’s office:

Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani chaired on Monday, the regular meeting of the Higher Committee for Water, during which the agenda items were discussed and relevant directives and decisions were issued.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need to take bold steps to secure water resources, regulate usage, reduce pollution, and use advanced technology across all areas of water use. The meeting approved a series of measures to address the impacts of climate change on water availability, in addition to several decisions across different aspects of water management, including the following:

– Prioritizing major strategic projects in planning and financing, including land reclamation projects (Amarah Irrigation and Central Tigris) and transitioning to closed irrigation systems and water transport via pipelines to adapt to declining water inflows.

– Requiring all entities to implement pollution control measures to mitigate the effects of pollutants, including regulating wastewater discharge points and all sources of untreated water.

– Mandating the Ministry of Agriculture to adhere to the agricultural plan and complete the agricultural card project for farmers.

– Implementing water rationing procedures for pumps along the Tigris, Euphrates, and major rivers during the summer season.

– Focusing on the implementation of desalination plants for the southern provinces (Basra, Dhi Qar, Maysan, and Muthanna).

– Launching a maintenance and dredging campaign for canals, especially at water intake points, and clearing them of invasive plants like water hyacinth.

– Utilizing groundwater and rehabilitating systems in areas with limited access to surface water.

– Requiring the administration of the Dokan Dam to release water in accordance with the national plan set by the National Center for Water Resources Management.

– Establishing an operations room in each province, chaired by the governor and including directors of the departments of water resources, agriculture, electricity, environment, general directorates of water, and the security forces.

– Developing a plan to implement projects for the treatment and reuse of wastewater for agricultural purposes.

Media Office of the Prime Minister
May 5, 2025

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