ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The first phase of a major water project connecting Dukan Lake to the Sulaimani province is set to be completed in less than two months, aiming to end water shortages in the province by delivering around 480,000 cubic meters of water per day, an official told The New Region on Monday.

The Director General of Water and Sewerage of the Kurdistan Region Ari Ahmed told The New Region that the project is set to have a storage capacity of 20,000 cubic meters of water per hour, noting that in the first phase, which is set to be completed in a month and a half, the project will provide "10,000 cubic meters."

The official added that the project includes “[water] intake, a filtration plant and a central transportation station,” adding that the water will be transported through a “122-kilometer transmission line,” providing close to “480,000 cubic meters of water daily" to Sulaimani.

The Dukan-Sulaimani water project follows the inauguration of Erbil's 480-million-dollar water project earlier in September by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, which is considered the largest water project in the Kurdistan Region and could save Erbil from water scarcity for at least another 20 years.

“The project will benefit the Sulaimani province both directly and indirectly,” said Ahmed, asserting that it will solve the water issues facing the province “for the next 30 years.”

The developments follow a decision by the Kurdistan Region’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to increase the budget dedicated to the Dukan-Sulaimani water project from the initial amount of $293 million to $423 million, in order to accelerate the implementation process.

Separately, the director highlighted the Goptapa-Chamchamal water project, stating that more than 20 percent of the project has been completed. “If we don’t face any financial hurdles, the project will be completed in the next 10-12 months,” said the water chief, adding that the project will benefit “the entirety of Chamchamal,” and its surrounding areas.

The KRG cabinet has launched several water and sewage projects across the Region to tackle the issue of water shortages and dried-up wells.