The Iraqi government has announced plans to build four new desalination plants in the southern province of Basra, aiming to boost the country’s non-conventional water resources.
The project includes the development of the Shatt al-Arab plant with a capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per hour, as well as the Al-Faw and Al-Siba plants, each with a capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per hour. Additionally, Abu Flous and Safwan plants will be constructed, with capacities of 3,000 and 1,000 cubic meters per hour respectively.
In parallel, the government is also moving forward with plans to build new wastewater treatment facilities, particularly in the southern provinces, as confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Meanwhile, in a key diplomatic development, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has approved Iraq’s request to increase water flow from Turkey to 420 cubic meters per second, in a bid to ease the effects of prolonged drought in the country.
Iraq’s Minister of Water Resources, Aoun Diab, confirmed that water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers had risen in recent days. He noted that discussions on water sharing with Turkey have been ongoing, with a major milestone reached during President Erdogan’s visit to Iraq in 2024, when both sides agreed on a framework recognizing Iraq’s rights to water resources.
Source: IraqiNews.com
