ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Untreated sewage from residential areas and hospitals discharged directly into the Tigris River in Baghdad is raising concerns over environmental contamination and public health risks along one of Iraq’s most important waterways. Long stretches of the riverbank have become overwhelmed by wastewater flow from sewage pipes that empty directly into the water, rendering large portions of the river inoperable for residential and recreational use.
“The smell is very foul. When people board, they struggle to breathe,” Abdullah Ammar, a boat operator, told Rudaw on Saturday.
Ammar alleges that several institutions, including hospitals and facilities in Baghdad’s Medical City, discharge sewage directly into the Tigris. Untreated domestic sewage and medical waste have turned parts of the Tigris entirely black, resulting in foul odors and discouraging residents and visitors from spending time near its banks.
Concerns come amid Iraq’s status as the fifth-most vulnerable nation in the world to the effects of climate change, according to a 2023 UN report as well as campaigns tackling pollution in the Tigris River in Baghdad dating back to 2018 from a number of civil society organizations.
“I don't know how many times they have appealed [for a solution], but no one has fixed it,” resident Hussein Ahmed told Rudaw, one of many residents who lament that pollution has transformed the once-scenic areas into dumping grounds. From Baghdad’s Sinak Bridge, passersby no longer enjoy views of the river but instead encounter floating garbage and polluted water, despite years of appeals and calls for action that have yielded little tangible results.
In response, Iraq’s Ministry of Environment told Rudaw it has identified the sources of pollution and has called on relevant authorities to take corrective measures.
Amir Ali, director general of the Department of Environmental Awareness and Media at the Ministry of Environment, is pressing the Baghdad Mayoralty to take urgent action.
“There is pressure to implement urgent solutions and install filters to reduce pollutants,” Ali said, adding that authorities are also being urged to speed up work on sewage infrastructure and wastewater treatment facilities.
The Tigris River is a vital source of water for millions of Iraqis and plays a key role in the country’s agricultural sector. Last year, the river faced severe drought conditions and declining water levels.
The Iraqi prime minister’s advisor for water affairs told Rudaw earlier this year in February that “the combination of these releases with this year's rain and snow has increased the water level of the Tigris River threefold compared to last year.”
However, Iraq's water challenges extend beyond shortages to include the quality of its most important water source.
Environmentalists warn that escalating pollution levels could further damage the river’s ecosystem, threatening both its practical use and its historic significance as one of Iraq’s most iconic natural resources.
Ziyad Ismael contributed to this report from Baghdad.
