Oil slick forces Tikrit water station shutdown

Shafaq News- Saladin

Operations at the Tikrit water project were suspended after an oil slick was detected near its water intake, the Saladin Water Directorate said on Sunday.

The suspension followed a field visit by Directorate head Ahmed Ali Abdullah to assess the situation and oversee precautionary measures taken by technical teams. Abdullah ordered the facility's temporary closure as a precautionary measure, pending confirmation of water safety and the completion of the necessary technical and laboratory tests in coordination with the relevant authorities.

Abdullah also called for continued field inspections and additional measures to protect public health and residents' safety, making clear that operations would resume only after tests confirmed that the water was safe and met approved health standards.

The oil slick appeared on the Tigris River following heavy rainfall and flash floods that hit the province in recent hours. A source familiar with the situation told Shafaq News that the floods may have carried waste or oil leaks from surrounding areas into the river.

The latest incident follows similar oil seepage reported elsewhere in Saladin. Last month, oil flowing from Mount Makhoul (Jabal Makhoul) toward the Tigris River basin was detected, raising concerns about potential water contamination and prompting calls for urgent measures to contain the flow.

Areas near the villages of Al-Maslakhah and Al-Salihiyah have also been identified as locations where oil and related substances are seeping from the ground. Similar seepage and oil waste were detected in low-lying areas and valleys east of Al-Fatha, between the Hamrin and Makhoul oil fields.

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