UNDP, USAID rehabilitate water complex in Basra
Water treatment plant in Iraq. Photo: UNDP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Iraqi government inaugurated the Al-Hussein water complex, which provides more than 30,000 people with clean drinking water and helps to ease the water crisis in Basra governorate, according to a statement issued by the UNDP.
The Al-Hussein water complex was built in 1977 and provided untreated water to homes, nearby industries, and military bases for more than 40 years.
Despite the increasing demand for water, the Al-Hussein water complex stopped operating three years ago because of the facility’s outdated and damaged equipment, the statement clarified.
The facility’s closure severely affected the water supply in the surrounding areas, leading to health concerns for residents as well as negative impacts for local businesses and agricultural production, according to the statement.
Rehabilitated by UNDP’s Iraq Crisis Response and Resilience Program (ICRRP), funded by USAID, the Al-Hussein water complex is now fully operational with upgraded water pumps and treatment equipment to ensure the water that goes to homes, schools, and other establishments is safe for human consumption, according to the statement.
Moreover, at least 45 people have resumed work upon the reopening of the water treatment plant, the statement explained.
Since 2019, the ICRRP, with support from USAID, has been rehabilitating critical water treatment plants in Basra. So far, nine water treatment plants in Shatt al-Arab, Al-Qurna, and Abi Al-Khaseeb districts have been completed, serving 149,000 people, the statement added.