Work on a pipeline to supply recycled wastewater to industries in Yazd Province will be completed by next March, managing director of Yazd Regional Water Company said.
“To balance groundwater in the Yazd-Ardakan plain, the Energy Ministry has given the regional water company authority to replace surface water and groundwater for industries with reclaimed water,” Mohammad Mehdi Javadianzadeh was quoted as saying by Energy Today website.
In the past six months, negotiations have been held with Yazd Combined Cycle Power Plant, Iran Alloy Steel Company and Yazd Industrial Zone, and it was decided that that a supply line for recycled wastewater be built.
Javadianzadeh had earlier said that the provincial water company annually draws one million cubic meters from groundwater sources to supply industries in the central desert province.
Yazd has a population of 1.13 million, 15% of which live in rural areas. This ancient land is one of Iran's centers for textiles and famous also for factories making ceramics and construction material.
It also is known for its poor precipitation, near permanent shortage of water and how for centuries its hardworking people have toiled to survive and make do with very limited water resources.
Industries are the biggest employers and main contributors to value added goods in the region.
Yazd Wastewater Treatment Plant has a capacity to treat 250 liters of sewage per second and expansion programs are underway to increase this to 500 liters per second.
Groundwater Overdraft
The declining pattern of groundwater levels in many regions has long been a serious cause of concern.
On average one billion cubic meters of water is extracted from groundwater sources in the arid Yazd Province every year resulting in severe water deficits in most plains as underground water levels keep almost falling by 45 centimeters a year.
Most of the water is used in the agro sector. Yazd Regional Water Company has taken measures to contain the worsening water crisis, namely installing smart meters for water wells, restricting cultivation of water-intensive crops, improving farming methods, promoting drip irrigation and sealing illegal wells.
Groundwater overdraft can lead to the destruction of vegetation, increase dust storms, create sinkholes in the plains, increase salt content in groundwater and worsen land subsidence.
Yazd is in the center of Iran where two deserts Dasht-e- Kavir and Dasht-e-Lut meet. It has a dry and arid climate and has suffered long and near permanent drought. The province has a yearly precipitation of 49 millimeters and only 23 days of rainfall.
Another project that is expected to help alleviate the water shortage is transferring water from the Persian Gulf.
“One of our key objectives of this project is to stabilize water supply to industries,” Javadianzadeh said.
The first phase of the project has made 60% progress and is scheduled to be completed by the end of the Iranian calendar year.
Upon completion of the first phase, 75 million cubic meters of seawater will be supplied annually to the water-stressed region.
The water would also benefit the agro sector that has faced the brunt of the water problem despite the fact that the people of Yazd are very careful with water consumption because they are well aware of the value of this precious resource.
