Japan funds $280M environmental project in Kurdistan Region
Shafaq News- Erbil
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is set to begin implementing the first phase soon at a cost of $288 million, covering the treatment and rehabilitation of sewage networks extending up to 75 kilometers, Erbil Governor Omed Xoshnaw said on Tuesday.
In a statement, Xoshnaw noted household wastewater will be reused to irrigate parks and public gardens, and the second phase, estimated at $300 million, will be launched at a later stage. He described the initiative as the largest environmental infrastructure project in Erbil, while it will reduce pollution and prevent wastewater from contaminating the Greater Zab River and groundwater.
The project follows the launch of a separate $479 million water infrastructure project in Erbil, which aims to transfer 480,000 cubic meters of water per day from the Greater Zab River to around 1.5 million residents.
Iraq faces its most severe water crisis in eight decades, with strategic reserves falling to their lowest levels since the 1940s. More than 70% of Iraq’s water originates outside its borders, while the Euphrates has lost over 60% of its flow in the past two decades, and the Tigris continues to shrink, increasing pressure on drinking supplies, agriculture, and electricity generation.
