Iraq says most drinking water treatment plants have exceeded design life

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Green Observatory, an environmental monitor, said most drinking water treatment plants in the country have exceeded their design life, with some facilities operating for more than 25 years. The finding is based on data from the Federal Board of Audit and Supervision. The observatory reported that plants built in the 1970s and 1980s are concentrated in Babil, Wasit, Anbar and Salah ad-Din provinces, where aging infrastructure has reduced treatment efficiency and affected both the quantity and quality of potable water. Bacteriological, physical and chemical tests on samples taken from treatment projects, water networks, residential areas, public clinics and hospitals produced some failures, the observatory said, warning of public health risks. Missan recorded the highest failure rate at 49 percent, followed by Maysan at 41 percent. The Federal Board of Audit and Supervision has recommended that local water directorates address the causes of laboratory failures and ensure that treatment operations are carried out on an integrated basis.