Shafaq News- Baghdad
The Euphrates River is no longersafe for human consumption or fishing, Iraq Green Iraq Observatory warned onTuesday, citing severe environmental deterioration and rising pollution levels.
The river has fallen to its lowestlevels in decades, particularly in central and southern Iraq, threatening theentire aquatic ecosystem. The sharp decline in water levels has increasedconcentrations of contaminants and even halted water flow in some sections,while the spread of algae and water hyacinth has weakened currents and depleteddissolved oxygen.
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The environmental watchdogattributed the deterioration to the direct discharge of hospital waste andlarge volumes of agricultural drainage water laden with fertilizers and saltsthrough major channels, including Shuaib al-Dhikr and al-Balikh, saying chemicalconcentrations have exceeded internationally accepted limits.
Warning that the Euphrates couldbecome a "completely hostile environment" without fundamentalsolutions, the group said the crisis could accelerate migration from marshlandsand rural areas as fish stocks decline and livestock losses mount. Iraq haslost more than 500 buffaloes in recent years, while 70% of agricultural landhas become unproductive because of water scarcity.
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It urged the government tocoordinate with neighboring countries to secure fair and sustainable watershares instead of relying on temporary releases, while activating sewage andagricultural wastewater treatment plants before discharge into the river andlaunching a nationwide campaign against algae and water hyacinth.
