Waterborne Diseases and Wastewater Treatment in Iraq

Abstract

Iraq is a desert country with access to large river resources and an extensive aquifer, but these have already been overdrawn for domestic, industry and agriculture use. The diminished flow of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers has allowed seawater intrusion from the Persian Gulf 110 km up as far as Basra, the county's third largest city. In addition, water distribution systems are overloaded and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) need upgrading, and fresh water sources polluted by lack of sanitation, agricultural runoff, household and industrial waste, and including the irrigation of vegetables with sewage water, have led to episodes of bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases. Also, there have been increases in many types of cancer since the early 1990s, and based on clinical and epidemiological data, these increases could be attributable to exposure to depleted uranium in the environment arising from conflict in Iraq and particularly during the Iraqi War started 20 years ago. The population affected would like government action to reduce their health concerns, and policies that have been proposed for improving water availability and quality, as well as but have not been followed up sufficiently to tackle these, including increasing the capacity and efficiency of WWTP; promoting the most efficient irrigation techniques for the local growing conditions; reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides that can decrease the water quality; reducing saline intrusion challenges; building compact desalination units; constructing water storage facilities to address water scarcity challenges; and establishing public education plans for consumers to reduce the water demand during the hot season. Whether the government rises to the task remains to be seen. Also, do those countries that used the DU have a responsibility to remove or otherwise dispose of the fragments that remain?

Keywords: Depleted uranium; Iraq; Policies; Recommendations; Restoration; Wastewater treatment; Waterborne diseases.