Iraq has completed a 300-meter underwater tunnel as part of the Great Basra Water Project, a major infrastructure milestone aimed at improving potable water supply to the southern city, the Ministry of Construction and Housing announced.
Described as “the first of its kind in Iraq,” the tunnel is a key component of a larger initiative to deliver reverse osmosis (RO)-treated drinking water to central Basra, a region long plagued by water shortages.
Ammar Al-Maliki, Director of the General Directorate of Water, told Shafaq News that the tunnel is the largest of eight river crossings constructed to lay water pipes beneath the riverbed. “Today marks the completion of one of the project’s most critical phases, involving a 300-meter ‘water crossing’ beneath the river,” Al-Maliki said. “Once fully operational, the project will pump treated water from the Hartha station to Basra’s city center, with final completion expected soon.”
Nizar Nasser, Director of Basra Water, acknowledged delays due to conflicts in northern Basra but confirmed that the tunnel was completed to high standards under the Ministry’s supervision.
The Great Basra Water Project was originally conceived in 2006, with a feasibility study conducted by Japan’s Tokyo Engineering Consultant and financing provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
(Source: Shafaq News)
