Channel8 has obtained official documents showing that KRG’s Council of Ministers failed to respond for more than a decade to repeated requests to address chronic water shortages in the town of Chamchamal, despite formal appeals from local and provincial authorities.

According to documents reviewed by Channel8, the Chamchamal administration and the Sulaymaniyah provincial government sent 77 official letters between 2011 and 2025 to the KRG Presidency of the Council of Ministers, seeking approval and implementation of the Goptapa water project, a plan designed to secure a stable drinking water supply for the town.

The documents show no recorded response from the KRG Council of Ministers during that period.

Water Shortages Affecting More Than 200,000 Residents

The prolonged lack of action has left more than 200,000 residents of Chamchamal facing severe water shortages, particularly during the summer months. Local records indicate that households in the town receive piped water only once or twice a month during peak demand periods.

Local officials have repeatedly warned that the situation constitutes a failure to provide one of the most basic public services and has contributed to health, economic and social pressures on residents.

Evidence of Administrative Neglect

The correspondence reviewed by Channel8 includes formal requests, technical reports and follow-up letters addressed to successive governments. The documents describe the absence of response as clear evidence of administrative neglect, noting that similar water projects were approved and funded in other towns during the same period.

Local authorities argue that the prolonged delay effectively marginalized Chamchamal within national infrastructure planning, despite its growing population and strategic location in Sulaimani province.

Project Now Underway, Urgency Remains

Work on the Goptapa water project has recently begun, but the Channel8 investigation stresses that progress remains slow. Officials familiar with the project say accelerated implementation and emergency measures are required to ensure water access during the coming summer.

Engineers have warned that without temporary interventions, residents could again face acute shortages in the months ahead.

Call for Equal Treatment

In a message accompanying its report, Channel8 urged the KRG to adopt a uniform approach to service provision across the Kurdistan Region, calling on the government to address infrastructure needs “from Zakho to Kifri District” without discrimination.

Channel8 also invited other local administrations to submit documented cases of unresolved service issues, saying the investigation reflects a broader pattern that warrants national review.