Optimal Allocation Model for Sustainable and Economic Water Sources in Rutba City West of Iraq

Abstract

The water resources represented by rivers, lakes, and wells are of great importance in the growth and development of civilization by meeting the different needs of the population. Due to the climatic changes that take place in different regions of the world, in addition to the increasing population growth, it has become necessary to manage the various water resources in a way that achieves a balance between supply and demand, especially in dry areas that suffer from limited rainfall and high evaporation rates as a result of high temperatures. Iraq has surface water resources that are the main provider of agricultural, industrial, and domestic demand sites, in addition to a strategic store of groundwater that can be used during periods of water scarcity. In this study, the Water Assessment and Planning (WEAP) model was used to assess the current and future demand of the Rutba city in western Iraq for the period (2021 to 2030). The study showed a population increase of 20.9% for the period 2021-2030 which requires water amounting to (4.43) million cubic meters annually by 2030. Currently, water supply to the city is carried out from three different sources, which is through water withdrawal From the Euphrates River through the Qaim and Heet sites, as well as by withdrawing water from a group of wells from Dabaa aquifers east of the city and pumping it to the city of Rutba by pipes, which requires optimal management of the city’s water supply sources to meet the population’s need, especially in light of the high annual costs of the process of transferring the water supply to the city.