Baghdad: Member of the State of Law Coalition, Thaer Makhif al-Jubouri, has issued a stark warning about Iraq’s impending water crisis, accusing the government of failing to prioritize this critical issue amid its preoccupation with upcoming elections.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, al-Jubouri highlighted the severe challenges Iraq faces regarding water management, emphasizing that the government has not given due attention to the water crisis, which he describes as nearing a catastrophic level. He underscored the gravity of the situation by noting that Iraq receives the majority of its water from neighboring countries-75% from Turkey and 22% from Iran.

Al-Jubouri called for urgent governmental action, advocating for serious negotiations with Turkey to release more water from its dams into the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. He stated that Iraq requires an additional 3 billion cubic meters of water to restore normal levels in these critical waterways.

Furthermore, al-Jubouri pointed out that the quality of water in Iraq is also a major concern, warning that the ongoing crisis poses a threat to both food and health security for Iraqi citizens. The current situation has led to significant environmental and agricultural challenges, including reduced river levels, increased salinity, and broader ecological impacts.

This warning comes amid a period of significant decline in Iraq’s water supply, underscoring the urgent need for governmental intervention to address the crisis and its wide-ranging implications.