Baghdad mayor issues new rules to fight water scarcity in the capital

BAGHDAD, August 1 – The Mayor of Baghdad, Ammar Musa, directed authorities on Monday to ensure water stations across the capital are at full working capacity as demand increases at the height of summer.

In a statement received by Network 964, Musa said:

“Some areas and residential neighborhoods have experienced water shortages due to power outages, and there is cooperation with the Ministry of Electricity to secure electricity supply for water stations and exempt them from scheduled cuts.

There is also collaboration with the Ministry of Water Resources to maintain water levels that ensure the full operation of water treatment stations and projects.

We have instructed the Baghdad Water Department to operate water production projects for drinking water at their maximum capacity, surpassing a production of more than 4 million cubic meters per day.

The scarcity in some areas resulted from water waste in agricultural areas and trespassing on pipelines, so we have directed campaigns to remove these encroachments in locations where water networks are being used for non-drinking purposes.

A portion of the water production from these projects is allocated to areas located outside the borders of the capital and within the boundaries of Baghdad Governorate. Therefore, we have given instructions to continue supplying water to those areas from a humanitarian standpoint.

The staff of the Baghdad Water Department has been directed to work around the clock to manage and operate water projects at their maximum capacity to meet the citizens’ needs during the summer season.”