15-year sewage crisis ends in Dhi Qar’s Al-Bathaa

Shafaq News – Dhi Qar

Iraq’s Dhi Qar on Friday completed a long-delayed wastewater treatment project in Al-Bathaa district, ending a 15-year contamination problem that affected the Euphrates River and the district’s drinking supply.

Al-Bathaa Mayor Ahmed Shaya Al-Badri told Shafaq News that the project aims to divert wastewater to the saline drainage canal through an eight-kilometer pipeline and a pumping station. He said it had stalled for years due to financial and technical problems.

The relaunch included new surge basins, a one-kilometer electricity line, a one-kilometer water line, and solutions to technical obstacles that had previously halted construction.

Al-Badri added that the project, valued at more than six billion dinars (around $4B), was completed and brought into service after four months of renewed work.

Iraq continues to struggle with widespread water pollution, particularly in the south, where declining river levels, high salinity, and aging sewage networks frequently contaminate the Tigris and Euphrates. Untreated wastewater and industrial discharge have placed additional pressure on weakened water systems, leading to periodic health concerns. Persistent drought and deteriorating infrastructure have further reduced safe water access and increased environmental risks.

Read more: Baghdad Fading: How shrinking rivers and failed policies endanger the capital