05-07-2025
Basra's red river: A dire pollution alarm
Shafaq News- Basra
A deepening environmental crisis is gripping Iraq's Basra province, where parts of the Euphrates River have recently turned red due to a toxic algae bloom—an alarming indicator of accelerating pollution.
Pollution on All Fronts
Basra, Iraq's oil capital, is also its environmental epicenter. Years of industrial mismanagement, failing infrastructure, and climate pressure have made its air and water increasingly hazardous.
Gas flaring, banned near homes, continues in areas like Aradah and Al-Zubair, exposing families to carcinogens such as benzene, sulfur dioxide, and PAHs. A 2024 University of Basra study found air quality near the Rumaila oil field exceeds both Iraqi and World Health Organization safety limits. Power plants, vehicle emissions, brick kilns, and diesel generators further pollute the atmosphere, while climate change intensifies dust storms and desertification, pushing particulate levels even higher.
Health impacts also rose sharply. Ministry of Health data show a 20% increase in cancer cases between 2015 and 2018. Residents near oil sites report higher rates of leukemia and chronic respiratory illness—especially among children.
A Dying River
Basra's water crisis is equally urgent. Once nourished by the Tigris and Euphrates, the Shatt al-Arab now suffers from chemical pollution, seawater intrusion, and dwindling flow due to damming upstream in Turkiye and Iran.
Infrastructure failures deepen the problem. Only about 20% of Basra's wastewater is treated—leaving most to flow directly into rivers. The Hamdan treatment plant, for instance, operates far below capacity. Meanwhile, rising salinity from the Gulf has rendered river water unfit for drinking or irrigation.
In 2018, over 100,000 people were hospitalized during a waterborne disease outbreak. Today, many families rely on costly water tankers, while disadvantaged communities struggle daily for access to safe water.
Toxic Waters, Public Fury
Speaking to Shafaq News, Osama Al-Saad, Deputy Chairman of the Basra Provincial Council, attributed the recent red river incident to 'algae nourished by wastewater pooling in low-lying areas.' Initial tests traced the contamination to sewage discharged from Al-Zubair and Al-Madina districts.
'Service departments, civil defense teams, and the Ministry of Oil had been deployed to contain the spread,' Al-Saad confirmed, though he acknowledged the response was temporary. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, the only sustainable solution is to implement wastewater recycling in the affected area.
The incident reignited ongoing protests in northern Basra, where residents accused oil companies and local officials of chronic environmental negligence. Demonstrators also cited worsening health conditions and warned of escalating action if no solution is found. Recently, community leaders issued an urgent appeal for federal and provincial intervention, calling for the creation of a crisis task force.
Political Fault Lines
The algae bloom has also exposed political tensions. Rafid Abdul Amir, Qaimaqam (district administrator) of Al-Sadiq, called it a serious escalation of long-standing pollution, blaming neighboring areas. 'Emergency measures, including floating pumps and clean-up operations with the Ministry of Oil, are ongoing,' he added.
However, Rafid Al-Shawi, Qaimaqam of Al-Madina, dismissed the allegations, arguing that if Al-Madina were responsible, it would have seen the effects first. He pointed to a large-scale pipeline project redirecting sewage away from populated zones, and a 139 billion dinars (approximately $98 million) treatment facility now under construction.
Al-Shawi confirmed the algae patch briefly reached Al-Madina, forcing a temporary shutdown of the Al-Alwan water plant, before drifting back toward Al-Sadiq. 'Only a united effort can produce lasting solutions,' he told our agency.
