Basra awards major desalination project to Chinese-Iraqi consortium to tackle water crisis

BASRA — Basra Gov. Asaad al-Eidani said Friday the province has awarded a major seawater desalination project to a joint venture between Iraq’s Al-Ridha Group and China’s PowerChina, describing it as a pivotal step toward resolving the southern city’s chronic water shortages.

The project, expected to produce one million cubic meters of drinking water per day, includes the construction of a large-scale reverse osmosis plant, a dedicated power station, and a 240-kilometer pipeline to supply water to nine distribution centers across the governorate, according to a statement from the governor’s office.

Al-Eidani said the Chinese firm brings regional experience with large water infrastructure, citing its work on the Taweelah plant in the United Arab Emirates and two projects in Saudi Arabia — Rabigh Phase 3 and Jubail — each with daily capacities of up to 900,000 cubic meters.

“The seawater desalination project represents a fundamental solution to the water shortage problem that has affected the people of the governorate for many years,” he said. Site preparations have begun, signaling the start of the project’s implementation phase.

Basra, home to much of Iraq’s oil wealth, has long struggled with water scarcity and pollution. Reduced river flows from upstream, combined with seawater intrusion from the Gulf, have increased salinity levels in the Shatt al-Arab waterway. Aging infrastructure and a lack of federal investment have further limited access to clean water, fueling periodic protests and public anger over deteriorating services.

The new plant is expected to ease the pressure on existing sources and reduce the city’s dependence on the increasingly brackish river water.

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