Iraq seeks to ease water shortage

By Dale Gavlak
BBC, Dead Sea, Jordan

The Ataturk dam has reduced the flow of the Euphrates into Iraq

Iraq has appealed to neighbouring Syria and Turkey to increase the water flow of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Iraqi officials say the Ataturk Dam in Turkey and Syrian water projects are hindering adequate water supplies.

They were speaking on the sidelines of the first international water management conference in Jordan.

The officials added that, while supplies of fresh water were improving, it might take three years for all Iraqis to have access to safe water.

The Iraqi Minister for Water Resources, Dr Abdul Latif Rashid, said the loss of water Iraq was experiencing must be remedied so that Iraq would again get its own share of the Tigris and Euphrates.

"Before building these dams in Turkey or using water in Syria for large areas for irrigation, we were getting... nearly 30 billion cubic metres of water," he said.

"Now it's about a third of that amount, so the flow in both rivers - especially in the Tigris - has been reduced."

Mismanagement

Dr Rashid said Iraq was working with both sides to find a solution to this pressing water problem.

He added that he also wants Iraq's neighbours to share information on water, rainfall and other hydrology issues so that they can better co-operate with each other.

He blamed the poor state of Iraq's infrastructure and past mismanagement for some of the water problems Iraqis are now facing.

He said that badly-needed maintenance has been undertaken in some neglected areas such as the south of the country, while water tankers are bringing supplies of drinking-water to other places.

But he said until security improves, rebuilding efforts in Iraq's water sector are being affected and there is little hope that the situation will be quickly resolved.