VZCZCXRO4233
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #4111/01 3520900
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180900Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4913
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004111 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREL IZ REL UK
SUBJECT: Chalabi's Provision of Services Committee - December 16 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: The Provision of Services Committee met December 16 in a 
special meeting to hear from representatives from Nahrawan and 
Mada'in. Council members detailed their service needs which included 
potable water, doctors and medical equipment, schools and security 
for electricity infrastructure. END SUMMARY. 
 
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Serious Potable Water Shortages 
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¶2. The president of the municipal council said that Nahrawan has 
"more oil than potable water." "Children are walking the streets 
begging for water." Lack of electricity seems to be further 
complicating the provision of clean, potable water. In the short 
term, the committee made a recommendation to provide an emergency 
supply of water to the qada. Nahrawan has 30 tankers that will get 
water from the river to be treated in Nahrawan and then distributed 
to the people. (Note: It is not clear how the province will purify 
the water given its electricity woes. Purification tablets were 
mentioned. End Note) Dr. Chalabi placed a call in the midst of this 
conversation to Bagdhad Amanat which resulted in an additional 20 
tankers to carry water to Nahrawan. 
 
¶3. In the longer term, the municipal president mentioned that a 
project is scheduled to come on-line in four months that will 
produce 280,000 square meters of potable water daily. Dr. Chalabi 
suggested reverse osmosis, but the council members said that their 
local water mineral content was too high. 
 
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Electricity is a Problem 
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¶4. Council members claimed that they didn't receive any power from 
the national grid which among other things prevents the irrigation 
pumps from working. Currently the qada is using generators to 
irrigate 70,000 acres of land. The province purchases diesel to run 
these generators. Citizens are complaining about the noise from the 
generators. The Iraqi Army also objects to the night-time generator 
noise because it makes it difficult for them to hear small arms fire 
or explosions. A suggestion was made to run the generators during 
the day so as not to expose the irrigation pumps, making them 
susceptible to sabotage, and use power from the national grid during 
the night. 
 
¶5. The council also asked that a dedicated security force be placed 
on the main electrical line since it is constantly being 
interdicted. They also suggested that the Ministry of Electricity 
endeavor to reconstruct the line underground to help reduce 
interdictions. Mada'in council members asked that the Mada'in 
transformer be rebuilt. 
 
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Educational and Health Needs: Similar to Sabi' Al Bor 
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¶6. The local council delivered a report detailing their school 
needs. Similar to Sabi' Al Bor, Nahrawan classrooms are overcrowded 
and Nahrawan needs approximately 8 more classes per school. They 
also need more teachers. The council requested that the Ministry of 
Education build an office in their region to ensure coordination. 
The council also welcomed the Ministry of Education to work with 
them directly. 
 
¶7. The council also distributed a report on health care needs. They 
specifically asked for a 200 bed hospital to address immediate 
needs. They also noted that many of the medical staff, upon 
completion of their residency, requested transfers to Baghdad, 
further perpetuating the staffing shortages. The Inspector General 
of Health noted a nation-wide shortage of physicians, claiming that 
Iraq has lost 8,000 physicians since 2003. Currently, a single 
primary health center (PHC) is serving on average 40,000 people. 
 
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Oil also on the Agenda 
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¶8. The council noted that there are rumors of corruption within the 
oil production and distribution chains. The council suggested that 
the people of Nahrawan involved in the distribution be certified by 
the Ministry of Oil (MoO). The council also noted shortages in 
gasoline and kerosene. The MoO said the supply of those fuels is 
available, but it was the responsibility of Nahrawan to pick up and 
deliver those supplies, not the MoO. 
 
¶9. There was sharp disagreement between the town officials and the 
Deputy Minister of Oil regarding delivery of diesel to Nahrawan's 
brick factories - the town's largest employers. Town officials said 
that the Ministry's failure to deliver promised diesel meant that 
the factories are only working at about 30 percent capacity. The 
Deputy Minister said that his understanding is that the correct 
amount of diesel is being delivered, but the brick factory owners 
find it more profitable to sell the diesel at the black market 
 
BAGHDAD 00004111  002 OF 002 
 
 
prices than to make bricks. 
 
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Comment 
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¶10. Decisions were made that would involve the Baghdad Operation 
Command, the Ministry of Electricity and the Ministry of Public 
Works, none of which were in attendance. We will be watching to see 
whether there is a correlation between the ministries attendance and 
their performance in carrying out the committee's recommendations. 
 
 
Crocker