Water Shortage in Tehran and Rising Concerns; ‘Meter Separation’ Proposed to Reduce Water Consumption
A 30 percent reduction in inflows to Tehran’s five major dams has intensified concerns about a water crisis during the summer season, and official news agencies in Iran have reported that the water situation in the capital has “crossed the warning threshold.”
According to the Water and Wastewater Company, more than 76 percent of water consumption in Tehran Province comes from renewable water resources, while the renewable water resources in this region “decrease every day.”
Mehr News Agency reported, citing Behzad Parsa, CEO of Tehran Regional Water Company, that rainfall levels during most months of the current fiscal year are “below normal,” while water consumption is on the rise.
According to him, the per capita water consumption rate in Tehran is “240 liters” per day. This figure is “200 liters” for other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, ISNA news agency reported in a report that per capita water consumption is “approximately 220 to 230 liters per day” and wrote: “According to the standard model, each Tehran resident should consume up to 130 liters of water.”
This report cited rising temperatures, changes in lifestyle, and the low cost of water as reasons for excessive consumption and proposed “separating household meters” as a solution to reduce consumption, calling for a review of responsible bodies regarding “certain laws.”
Mohammad Shahryari, Director General of the Water Facilities and Hydroelectric Power Office of Tehran Regional Water Company, in an interview with Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, emphasizing that “it is not possible to provide agricultural water for downstream dams,” announced that the reserves of Tehran dams have decreased by 269 million cubic meters.
Concerns about water shortage in Tehran are rising at a time when last summer, water and electricity cuts became one of the fundamental crises in Iran, leading to widespread protests in several provinces, including Tehran.
Source: Voice of America
