Water Resources: Losing 50% of last year's storage..a difficult summer ahead of us

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[size=52]Water Resources: Losing 50% of last year's storage..a difficult summer ahead of us[/size]

[size=45]Baghdad/ Firas Adnan[/size]
[size=45]Yesterday, Wednesday, the Ministry of Water Resources stated that Iraq will face a harsh summer, confirming a decrease in water storage from the previous year by 50%, but it indicated that the human requirements for drinking water, as well as watering orchards and seasonal crops, were secured.[/size]
[size=45]This comes at a time when a water expert spoke about the importance of linking the water file to the Prime Minister, calling for the speedy formation of the Supreme Water Council and granting its membership to various relevant state ministries.[/size]
[size=45]Aoun Diab, an advisor to the Ministry of Water Resources, said that "Iraq will face a harsh summer, according to the current data."[/size]
[size=45]Diab continued, "The amount of water reserves available in Iraq is still modest, despite the efforts that have been made by the official authorities."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "a clear loss of rain during the spring season, and no significant quantities were added to the Iraqi water storage."[/size]
[size=45]Diab explained, "The ministry had previously reassured the Iraqis about securing drinking water, human uses, orchards and other simple seasonal crops."[/size]
[size=45]And he indicated, "The total of Iraq's reserves during the current season is almost 50% of the reserves of the previous year."[/size]
[size=45]Diab stressed that "the file should take priority, as it is very important and dangerous and is related to people's lives, whether it is at the level of securing drinking water, human uses or the level of agriculture, and the latter has become ruling after recent global events and the impact of the wheat crop."[/size]
[size=45]He continues, "The government's role should be at the internal level by developing irrigation projects to improve the performance of water distribution and reduce waste and water losses, in addition to an external role through conducting negotiations with upstream countries in order to share the damage."[/size]
[size=45]Diab added, "A Turkish delegation will visit Iraq soon to discuss the water crisis, and we are looking forward to such discussions with Iran as well, and the solutions should be on the political side through diplomatic efforts."[/size]
[size=45]For his part, the water expert, Adel Al-Mukhtar, said in an interview with (Al-Mada), that "the water alarm has sounded not long ago."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Mukhtar added, "Water revenues are in constant decline, and there is a clear lack of strategic storage than it was in previous years."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "Iraq has become in a difficult situation, and there are basic points that the state must take, including the parliament's establishment of the National Water Council, especially since successive ministers on this file have not been able to achieve anything and we have reached this difficult stage."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Mukhtar stressed, "The water file must be linked to the Prime Minister, similar to what is happening in Turkey, where this file is handled by the President of the Republic."[/size]
[size=45]He noted, "the necessity of forming a high-level negotiating delegation whose jurisdiction is not only to consider water issues, but that the discussions will include other related files such as politics, economy and the army with neighboring countries."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Mukhtar concluded, “The importance of involving other ministries in this file, such as finance, agriculture, electricity and defense in the National Water Council, with the development of a clear strategy to be worked on.”[/size]
[size=45]The lack of rain and the policies of neighboring countries, especially Iran and Turkey, caused a major water crisis in Iraq, which ended with the drying up of a number of tributaries and lakes.[/size]
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