Water Rationed in Abadan
The Bahmanshir River water has become so saline that it cannot be withdrawn or consumed. Due to this and pressure drops, the drinking water of Abadan residents is tainted and turbid, and has been rationed until further notice.
On Tuesday, June 19th, the Abadan Water and Wastewater Department announced in a statement a reduction in the city’s water production due to the suspension of water withdrawal from the Bahmanshir River. The IRNA news agency, citing this statement, wrote: “The salinity of the Bahmanshir River water has reached sea water levels and cannot be withdrawn from it.”
Currently, the drinking water for Abadan residents is supplied solely from the “Ghadir” water supply line. The Abadan Water and Wastewater Department announced that the second “Ghadir” water supply line will be completed by the end of Tir month, and drinking water in different areas of the city will be rationed until that time.
This department has asked residents to install water tanks in their homes for water storage. Residents have been obligated to bear the hardships caused by water rationing as well as incur expenses for purchasing water tanks.
Amer Kaabi, Abadan’s representative, had said one day before the announcement of water rationing in the city: “Abadan’s water problem occurred at the worst possible time, and in the heat of summer we are selling saline water to people… At least in this critical water and wastewater situation, do not charge people the water bill for this period.”
This rationing is announced while the drinking water in Abadan, Khorramshahr, Ahvaz, and Shadegan has been turbid, foul-smelling, and saline for the past month.
Jalil Mokhtar, Abadan’s representative, had previously stated that 31 villages in Abadan have drinking water problems: “To overcome this crisis, dam water must be released and sugar cane development company’s withdrawal must be limited so that downstream cities are not affected.”
Sadegh Haghighi Pour, the CEO of Khuzestan Water and Wastewater Company, had said one day before the announcement of water rationing in Abadan: “The standard water salinity level is between 1500-2000 microsiemens per centimeter, and water supplied from the Ghadir project is between 2000 to 2500 microsiemens per centimeter, and water from the Mard Canal has approximately 11,000 microsiemens per centimeter salinity.”
He added that the water in Khorramshahr and Abadan is healthy and free from any contaminants and microbes, but in terms of taste palatability it is not pleasing to subscribers!
Officials from the Khuzestan Drinking Water Quality Control Department had previously announced that one of the reasons for the turbidity of water in the province is the deterioration of water networks in neighborhoods and weak water pressure; a situation that causes mud, silt, and salts present at the end of the network to exit when the water tap is opened.
Source: DW
