Iran On The Verge Of A Severe Water Crisis

JAKARTA - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned of excessive water consumption. Masoud said the water consumption was intolerable by the state and could cause Tehran to face severe water shortages in September.

Facing mismanagement of resources and excessive consumption, Iran has repeatedly faced electricity, gas and water shortages during peak months of demand.

"In Tehran, if we are unable to manage and the community does not cooperate in controlling consumption, dams will not have water in September or October," Pezeshkian said.

The country has faced drought over the past five years, according to the director of the Sheena Environmental Protection Organization Ansari.

The Meteorological Organization recorded a 40% decrease in rainfall over the past four months compared to the long-term average.

"Appropriating sustainable development has caused us to face various environmental problems such as water pressure," Ansari told state media on Thursday.

Overwater consumption is a big challenge for water management in Iran.

The head of Tehran's provincial water and wastewater company, Mohsen Ardakani, told Mehr news agency that 70% of Tehran's population consumes more than a standard of 130 liters per day.

Natural resource management has been a chronic challenge for authorities, both in terms of natural gas consumption and water use, as solutions require major reforms, especially in the agricultural sector which accounts for up to 80% of water consumption.

On Wednesday, Pezeshkian rejected the government's proposal to set a holiday on Wednesday or a one-week holiday over the summer, saying closing was a cover-up effort and not a solution to water shortage problems.

In the summer of 2021, protests against water shortages took place in southwestern Iran.