Baghdad residents forced to stay awake at night to fill water tanks as services crisis continues

"Water cuts regularly last for lengthy periods. We only get water at night, if at all. We face water outages for approximately 10 to 12 hours daily," a local resident told Kurdistan24.

Photo designed by Kurdistan24.
Photo designed by Kurdistan24.

Dec. 26, 2024

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Residents of Baghdad's Dora neighborhood are grappling with severe water and electricity shortages, forcing many to stay awake until dawn to fill their water tanks during brief periods of supply.

"Water cuts regularly last for lengthy periods. We only get water at night, if at all. We face water outages for approximately 10 to 12 hours daily," a local resident told Kurdistan24.

The electricity situation is similarly critical, with recurrent power cuts coercing residents to depend on private generators. When asked about the power crisis, residents expressed frustration with the government's explanation that it stems from Iranian gas supply cuts.

"The electricity situation is awful. We have to rely on private generators in our area. When we protested and raised the issue with the government, they blamed it on Iranian gas cuts. But what about Iraq's own oil and gas resources - where are they going?" another resident asked.

The twin crises of water and electricity shortages has become a lingering issue for Iraqi citizens since 2003, with conditions deteriorating year after year. Government authorities have proven incapable of implementing permanent solutions to these basic infrastructure problems.

The situation in Dora underlines the ongoing challenges facing Iraq's infrastructure system, chiefly impacting working-class neighborhoods where residents must adjust their daily routines to cope with unreliable essential services.