The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which governs the Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq, has confirmed progress on a broad portfolio of water and wastewater infrastructure projects, together worth more than USD 2 billion (estimated at the current market rate of approximately 1,310 IQD per USD), part of a long term push to guarantee drinking water access and reduce shortages.
According to the KRG's Department of Media and Information, the projects, some finished, others near completion and a number still in early stages, cover both drinking water supply, designed to deliver hundreds of thousands of cubic metres daily, and wastewater treatment.
Among completed works, the Erbil Emergency Water Project stands out, with a budget of IQD 720 billion and a daily output of 480,000 cubic metres, aimed at securing Erbil's supply for decades. The KRG has previously cited this same project's cost as USD 480 million in earlier statements. Also finished are the Qushtapa project (IQD 222 billion, 72,000 m³/day), the Faida project in Duhok (IQD 50 billion, 72,000 m³/day) and the Pirmam project (IQD 34.7 billion, 9,600 m³/day).
Several schemes are close to finishing, including a 51 village water project in Barzan (98% complete, IQD 30.1 billion), a 411 kilometre network expansion in Erbil (95% complete, IQD 25 billion) and projects in Ranya Chwarqurna Hajiawa, Akre and Darbandikhan, all between 65 and 70% built, with budgets of IQD 36.7 billion, IQD 41.1 billion and IQD 25 billion respectively.
Newer, larger scale ventures are progressing at earlier stages: the Goptapa Chamchamal project (37% complete, IQD 101 billion), the Bardarash project (10% complete, IQD 428 billion, planned 72,000 m³/day) and the Dukan Slemani 3 project, the most heavily funded at IQD 551 billion, targeting 240,000 m³/day once finished.
On sanitation, two wastewater treatment projects are under construction, budgeted at USD 200 million (phase 1, capacity 52,500 m³/day) and USD 579 million (phase 2, capacity 210,000 m³/day).
