The water and wastewater infrastructure has deteriorated significantly in the absence of proper maintenance and capital works program, which has had an effect on the services, with water availability drastically reduced in terms of quality as well as quantity. Old water networks without proper maintenance and crisscrossing sewer lines increase the risk of potable water contamination, as evident from the outbreaks of cholera in 2007 and 2008. Unaccounted for Water (UFW) comprises the physical losses resulting from pipe bursts, leakages from service reservoirs and service connections up to the point of customer metering and the non physical losses attributed to metering errors and illegal connections. It is understood that over 40% of the water produced is lost as UFW. This seriously affects water availability at the consumer’s end, reduces financial viability of service providers through lost revenues, increases operational costs and, eventually, leads to increased capital costs. All 18 Governorates throughout Iraq are seriously affected by the tremendous water loose though breakages and therefore leads to unaccounted for water. Anbar and Najaf are the two pilot areas chosen to reduce the unaccounted water since they are amongst those governorates where the water problem affects the population the most. The rest of the 16 governorate will be fully involved in every design details and implementation mechanism within the two governorates and therefore can be replicated within their respective governorate.

The programme is based on three components:

Capacity building: Water Authority operation engineers from 18 governorate need to be aware of UFW issues and means to reduce the same while the senior management officials need to comprehend the purpose and methodology of conducting water audit.

Demonstration Areas: For an effective capacity building programme, it is necessary to combine it with physical works. The DMA methodology will be applied in two pilot areas, one each in Anbar and Najaf governorate, selected in close collaboration with the government. The other governorate will be closely involved within the steps taken throughout the project implementations.

Water Auditing of Major Water Treatment Plants: Many water treatment plants (WTPs) have not been properly maintained for years resulting in production well below its designed capacities. At present there is no reliable data on the inflow and outflow from the WTPs.

Specialized leak detection equipment shall be procured for the usage of the governorates of Anbar and Najaf. Additional, basic and intermediate leak detection equipment will also be provided to the remaining 16 governorates.

It is expected that the inhabitants within the two selected pilot area at the two governorates shall have access to basic quantities of safe water.  The other governorates will be encouraged to replicate the project within the respective governorate. The immediate beneficiaries will include staff from the MMPW, Governorate Departments, Governorate Councils and the Governor’s Offices in the 18 governorates.