Baghdad water unsafe, officials say

BAGHDAD, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- The Iraqi Health Ministry said at least 17 percent of its national water supply and some 30 percent in Baghdad is not fit for human consumption.

Iraq is in the midst of a nationwide cholera outbreak. The latest reports from the Health Ministry said there were 531 laboratory-confirmed infections as of Monday.

Health officials told the U.N. humanitarian news agency that laboratory tests in Baghdad and other locations in the country from October suggest the national water system is the source of contamination contributing to the outbreak.

"The percentage of dirty water not fit for human consumption could lead to diseases more dangerous than cholera, such as some kinds of life-threatening hepatitis and diarrhea," a statement from the Health Ministry said.

Iraqi Health Minister Salih al-Hasnawi said his office was acting aggressively to control the spread of cholera.

"We immediately set up a committee to monitor the outbreak, and we have conducted field visits to check on chlorine levels in drinking water, and distributed 50 million of water treatment tablets," he said.

Hazim Ibrahim with the Baghdad Water Bureau said the government had approved a $1 billion project to construct a new water treatment facility in the eastern part of the capital, noting the current system was linked to local sewer mains.