Environmental Alert: Nearly 500 Pollution Sources Threaten the Tigris River Across Five Provinces

mesoiraq - The Green Iraq Observatory revealed on Sunday, August 23, 2026, the identification of approximately 500 pollution sources contaminating the Tigris River, warning of severe consequences for public health, as well as water and food security. In an official statement, the observatory detailed that the river faces continuous environmental degradation due to the direct discharge of untreated industrial, medical, and sewage waste, noting the presence of 23 highly hazardous pollution hotspots in Baghdad alone. Furthermore, the Diyala River was identified as a major contributor of chemical and organic pollutants flowing into the Tigris. The monitoring operations detected hazardous chemical compounds that evade traditional filtration methods. The observatory stressed that Basra, Baghdad, Wasit, Maysan, and Dhi Qar are the most affected provinces, with pollution and salinity levels increasing as the river flows south.