Water minister warns against groundwater overuse, vows fines for illegal wells

BAGHDAD — Water Resources Minister Aoun Diab said the ministry is handling groundwater “with extreme caution” and does not support expanding its use, warning of financial fines for those who drill wells without approval.

“There is strict governance in managing this vital resource,” Diab told the Iraqi News Agency.

He said drilling wells without ministry approval is prohibited, including private wells. “Anyone who violates this will be subject to large financial fines, in addition to backfilling the illegal well,” he said.

Diab described groundwater as “an important national wealth,” adding that “preserving it is a national responsibility.”

He pointed to neighboring Saudi Arabia, saying it “suffered from groundwater depletion due to excessive use, which caused major problems.”

The ministry is committed to managing groundwater “in a rational and balanced way” to ensure sustainability and extend reserves for future generations, Diab said.

Iraq is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, facing rising temperatures, severe drought, declining rainfall and increasing desertification.

The country faced its worst water shortage in eight decades in 2025, with reserves at their lowest levels in 80 years due to drought, climate change and upstream dam projects in Turkey and Iran.