ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A water project was opened in Rawanduz district on Thursday with funding from the German Development Bank with the support of UNDP Iraq.
Newroz Mawlood Amin, Kurdistan’s minister of municipalities and tourism, explained during the inauguration that the project is an upgrade that will benefit the Region.
"This project replaces the old project which was built in 1987. It was proper for Rawanduz’s people but has not been able to provide sufficient water due to expansion of the city, the arrival of a large number of IDPs and its age," Amin announced in a press conference.
She said the project aims to boost the water to 600 cubic-meters with qualities compatible with international standards.
Approximately 33,000 additional people directly will benefit from the $2,930,000 joint KRG-German-UN project that has been in the works since October 2016.
“Water means life! Making clean water accessible to the local population and thereby reducing risks of diseases are key elements of these projects. Germany thanks its partners for their great efforts and is very grateful to be able to support the Rawanduz population," Lars-Uwe Kettner, Germany's consul for political and humanitarian affairs in Erbil, told Rudaw.
Approximately 2,000 IDPs who fled their homes during the ISIS conflict and live in the area will now also have clean drinking water.
“This important project has enabled alleviation of chronic water shortages and improved health conditions in Rawanduz where the local population has more than doubled in size with an influx of displaced people. In particular, the project has contributed to responding to waterborne diseases caused by the poor quality of water as well as improved the supply of water for households in Rawanduz,” the UNDP has stated.
Bekhal is 65 kilometers northeast of Erbil.
The source of the water is the Bekhal Waterfalls, which attracts tourists daily from Kurdistan, elsewhere in Iraq, and abroad. The Rawanduz River also winds through the mountainous region providing water to locals as the winter snows melt.
Last updated at 9:51 a.m., April 20, 2018
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