People gather to collect water from a cistern amid shortage and high temperature in the village of al-Aghawat in Iraq鈥檚 central Diwaniya province, on July 18, 2022. AFP
AL-AGHAWAT, Iraq 鈥� Younes Ajil turns on the tap in his home but nothing comes out: dozens of villages are without running water in drought-hit Iraq, surviving on sporadic tanker-truck deliveries and salty wells.
For everything from drinking to bathing and washing dishes and clothes, Ajil and his eight children wait at their home in Al-Aghawat for trucked-in water from the Diwaniyah provincial authorities once or twice a week.
In burning summer temperatures that at times approach 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit), he said he hasn鈥檛 bathed for four days.
鈥淓ven if there were daily deliveries, there would not be enough鈥� water, the 42-year-old said.
Iraq is known in Arabic as the Land of the Two Rivers, but it has seen water levels on the once mighty Tigris and Euphrates plummet.
The Euphrates, which passes through Diwaniyah province, has visibly contracted in recent months, with some of the river鈥檚 weaker branches drying up.
Governor Zouheir al-Shaalan said 鈥渁round a third鈥� of his province has problems accessing water, with more than 75 villages affected.
Ajil has dug a well, but the water is salty.
鈥淲e mix that with the water from the trucks and make do,鈥� he told AFP.
Climate migration
A view shows the dried up Ghattara River in Iraq鈥檚 central Diwaniya province, on July 18, 2022. AFP
Local children cry out and run towards an orange water truck as it drives up the dirt road in their village.
One person fills a tall white tank, climbing on top of it to hold the truck鈥檚 hose as water gushes out, while others wait to fill smaller tanks or even cooking pots.
Children splash gleefully in a rusting old fridge that has been laid on the ground as a cramped, makeshift tub.
The UN classifies Iraq as the world鈥檚 fifth most vulnerable country to climate change.
Authorities blame drought for the current water shortages, but also dams built upstream on some rivers and tributaries in neighbouring Turkey and Iran.
Ajil shares his house with his brother, Mohammed.
Like most of their neighbors, they used to make a living from farming.
But over the past two years, the drought has brought local agriculture to its knees, so they have been selling their sheep to survive.
There are around 50 houses in the village, Ajil said, but only 10 families remain.
鈥淭he rest have left,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f there is no water, there is no more life.鈥�
A report published this month by the International Organization for Migration in Iraq said that 鈥渃limate migration is already a reality鈥� in the country.
More than 3,300 families across 10 provinces in the country鈥檚 centre and south were displaced due to 鈥渃limate factors鈥� as of March this year, the report said, blaming water scarcity, high salinity and poor water quality.
鈥楩arming is our lives鈥�
People gather to collect water from a cistern amid shortage and high temperature in the village of al-Aghawat in Iraq鈥檚 central Diwaniya province, on July 18, 2022. AFP
Hassan Naim, who manages Diwaniyah鈥檚 water resources, said around 20 treatment plants were at a standstill.
Before, 鈥渟ome rivers ran dry, but only for a matter of days鈥�, he said.
The present crisis has been going on for more than two months.
Naim acknowledged that authorities were distributing a 鈥渧ery low鈥� amount of water compared to what was needed, but cautioned against using high-salinity well-water.
Diwaniyah Governor Shaalan said that to end the shortages, the province needed to receive double the current water flows of 85-90 cubic meters (3,000-3,200 cubic feet) per second along the Euphrates.
鈥淒iwaniyah has no border crossings, oilfields, religious sanctuaries or tourism鈥� to generate income, he said, urging authorities in Baghdad to exclude the province from the federal government鈥檚 water rationing plan.
鈥淔arming is our lives,鈥� he said.
Hundreds of angry Diwaniyah residents have twice taken to the streets to protest the situation.
Al-Aghawat resident Razzak Issa believes a deal with Turkey, the source of the Euphrates, is needed to increase water supplies.
鈥淵es, we can ration usage, but it鈥檚 hot. How am I supposed to ration? I don鈥檛 bathe? I don鈥檛 wash my clothes? I don鈥檛 bathe my children? It鈥檚 impossible,鈥� he said.
He too mixes salty water from his well with the trucked-in water from the authorities.
鈥淲here can we go?鈥� he said. 鈥淓verywhere in Iraq is 鈥渢orture鈥�.
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