Over the past 18 months, 65 water wells have dried out in the province of Erbil and the surrounding areas. Sahand Sirwan, general director of water and sewage in the Ministry of Municipalities and Tourism, considers this a threat to people’s lives.

"Due to decreasing underground water levels, many water wells in Erbil and its districts dry out every year. This is a big threat to the lives of people and the environment in Erbil,” Sirwan said.

He added, “We have drilled 100 more water wells at a cost of 60 million Iraqi dinars (US$50,000) each."

In the 1980s, water could be found at a depth of 80 meters beneath the ground. But now, Sirwan said, you have to dig 300 meters in order to reach water.

According to Sirwan, the main cause of the crisis is that too many unlicensed traditional wells were drilled by farmers. "Drilling water wells on private farms is a violation and greatly harms underground water reserves. Hundreds of such wells have been drilled without any follow up by the authorities," he said.

In addition to creating a water crisis in populated areas, dried out wells also greatly harm the environment.

Rezan Kareem, chairman of the environmental protection and improvement committee in Erbil, said, "No one consulted us before drilling for water. If they do not consult with us, the result will be multiple dry wells."

The directorate of water distribution in Erbil has plans to extend a fourth potable water pipeline. The project is expected to be completed within two years and save Erbil from water shortages until 2035.

"Erbil water wells that dried during the summer season have created a lot of issues,” said Massoud Muhammad, director of Erbil water distribution. “In the first six months of this year, 37 wells ran out of water and the water levels in many other wells decreased by 50 percent."

According to Muhammad, water wells northwest of Erbil have collectively dried up and an investigation has been launched to uncover the causes.

One of the main reasons behind water shortage in Erbil is excessive use and waste of water by people.

Najmaddin Muhammad, director of water wells in Erbil, said, "People do not appreciate water. They waste a lot of water and this is the result."

Rasheed Gerjis, head of the water preservation association in the Kurdistan Region, warns, "If things keep going this way, we will be in a real crisis soon. The drying out of 65 water wells should not be underestimated."

Gerjis also attributed the water shortage to rising temperatures, the drought in recent years and the increasing population of Erbil.

RUDAW