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[casi] Re. targeting the water facilities




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Hi Everyone

This is a quote from the International Study Team who made surveys in Iraq in 1991 after the Gulf 
War.

"Team members visited 13 cities inspected 28 facilities including 18 water treatment plants (WTP). 
eight waste water treatment plants (WWTP), one water supply facility (WSF), and one alum (aluminium 
sulphate) plant. They found that much of Iraq's water and wastewater systems are currently 
inoperable and ineffective.  Water treatment plants currently function at a fraction of their 
former capacities, with only one of the 18 plants visited operating at a 100% capacity. Many 
wastewater plants have ceased operation altogether. Water distribution suffers from reduced flows 
and limited chlorine. The sewage collection systems are partially operational due to the array of 
problems caused by the shut-down of lift stations during the war.  These problems are likely to 
reoccur as lift stations are again shut down for a lack of spare parts.

Direct physical damage, either from the bombing or from looting during the civil uprisings, was 
found to be only a minor factor in the impairment of water or wastewater systems. The primary 
rate-limiting factors are lack of spare parts and supplies of chlorine and erratic electric supply."

In further sections it states that, " The water distribution systems in some cities sustained 
collateral war damage. Water pipe breaks were frequent during the war. Mosul, for example, 
sustained water main damage at 24 sites..."  and  in regard to sewage plants only "the Rustumiyya 
Sewage Treatment Plant in Baghdad sustained bomb damage during the war. Several plants in the South 
sustained substantial damage in the ensuing civil strive."

Throughout the report they emphasise that lack of spare parts and the erractic electrical supply 
are the major problem. The crime is that, subsequently, these parts for  water and sanitation  and 
power generation  were consistently put on hold by the US or UK members of the sanctions committee 
despite their awareness of the consequences to public health.

Jo














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