Police in Erbil confiscate equipment used to dig wells

ERBIL, December 28 — The Erbil Environment and Forestry Police announced officers had confiscated illegal drilling equipment used to dig water wells along with five pipes and a diver, in Kasnazan sub-district.

While the police did not confirm any arrests, they said legal proceedings had been initiated and that the confiscated items had been sent to the groundwater department for appropriate disposal.

Illegal well digging poses significant risks to the Erbil environment and has led to the depletion of groundwater resources, disrupting the delicate balance of aquifers.

Unregulated extraction may also cause a drop in the water table, affecting nearby wells and potentially drying up local water sources. This not only jeopardizes the availability of water for agriculture and daily use but also endangers ecosystems that rely on these water reservoirs.