Governor General of Iraq's Basra called for establishment of a new water pipeline from Iran to the Iraqi city, Azzaman reported.
"The southern Iraqi city of Basra, once known as the Venice of the East, is thirsty," the report said adding that "the quality of water reaching the city from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers is undrinkable due to high salinity. To solve the problem the provincial officials have decided to import water from Iran."
The Iraqi daily emphasized that Iran is now the major source of almost everything entering the country, adding that Since the 2003-U.S. invasion it has emerged as the country’s top trading partner with volume of trade in the range of $5 billion a year.
The Tigris and Euphrates enter the city as one river called Shatt al-Arab after their confluence in Qurna, north of Basra.
But water from Shatt al-Arab is undrinkable and so salty that farmers say it is sometimes harmful even for agriculture and animals.
The Governor General of Basra, Shaltah Aboud, said salinity has become “enemy number one” to agriculture and provision of drinking water.
“The central government in Baghdad is aware of the problem, that is the high level of salinity in Shatt al-Arab and its adverse impact on agriculture,” he said.
But Aboud declined to mention whether the central government has the means to address the issue.
But he said a fleet of 70 water tankers currently import water from Iran to Basra.
The quantities shipped are insufficient, he said, adding that he had asked the central government to extend new pipelines to ship Iranian water to Basra.