A water tunnel project became operational in Kurdestan Province on Tuesday to help raise agricultural output, deputy energy minister for water and wastewater affairs said.
“Approximately 90 kilometers long and 2 meters wide, the tunnel will transfer 30 million cubic meters of water per year from Azad Dam to Qoucham Dam, both in Kurdestan Province,” ISNA also quoted Qasem Taqizadeh Khamesi as saying.
“The tunnel will help alleviate the shortage of water needed for farming in the Qorveh and Dehgolan plains. Water tables in the two towns have plunged by over 18 meters due to the excessive use by farming sector,” he said.
Referring to the 704-mcm deficit of groundwater reservoirs in the province, Khamesi said the highest deficit was registered in the Dehgolan Plain with 540 mcm, Chardavol 86 mcm and Qorveh 55 mcm.
“Completed in six years, the project was implemented by domestic engineers of the National Water and Wastewater Engineering Company of Iran [Abfa] at an estimated cost of $120 million, of which $90 million were borrowed from the National Development Fund of Iran, the sovereign wealth fund,” he added.
The initiative is expected to supply water to irrigate 4,300 hectares of fruit orchards in the region and agro output is projected to increase from 5,000 tons to 50,000 tons per year, generating at least $30 million in revenues for the farmers.
Sanandaj Water Treatment Plant
The official noted that concurrent with the final construction phase of Azad Dam, operations for transferring water from the dam to Sanandaj Water Treatment Plant will start by the end of the current Iranian year (started March 21).
“The project will supply drinking water to Sanandaj, the provincial capital that has a population of about 400,000,” he said.
A 30-km water transmission line will connect Azad Dam to the Sanandaj Water Treatment Plant. The project is estimated to cost $14 million.
With a capacity of 300 mcm, Azad Dam is being built on the Gura River, 75 km from Sanandaj-Marivan Road.
In addition to supplying water to Sanandaj, Qorveh and Dehgolan, plans are underway to supplement water delivery to six other cities in the province from different dams, which need $80 million in new funding.
With the completion of projects in Marivan, Yasukand, Bijar, Baneh, Saqqez and Kamyaran, close to one million people will have access to potable water. Currently, 60% of water for Kurdestan are supplied from surface and dam water and 40% via groundwater resources.
Kurdestan is a mountainous region and home to many rivers, lakes, glaciers and caves. It has a population of 1.6 million who are largely involved in agriculture and livestock farming.
Wheat, barley, grains and fruits are the major crops. Industries in the region are active in chemical, metal, textile, leather and food production.
Rural Water Supply
Regarding rural water supply, Khamesi said since last year, 217 villages with nearly 86,000 people have been provided with fresh water and an additional 44,000 living in 75 villages will be supplied potable water before the current fiscal year ends in March 2022.
The entire urban population of Kurdestan and 80% of its rural dwellers have access to safe drinking water.
Three projects worth $10 million were also launched in Hormozgan Province on Tuesday to help develop water infrastructure in rural districts.
A plan to transfer water from Sahran Dam to 13 rural districts in Bashagard County has also been implemented. The venture involved laying 150 kilometers of pipelines, constructing 12 storage tanks and installing two pumping stations.
The project will help supply 7,000 cubic meters of water to 4,000 rural dwellers per day.
Moreover, a desalination plant with a capacity of processing 150 cubic meters of seawater became operational in Bashagard County.
Referring to the third project in the province, Khamesi said a wastewater plant came on stream in Tiab rural district in Minab County. The facility can recycle as much as 900 cubic meters of sewage per day.
Three wastewater plants with a capacity of producing 600 cubic meters per day of agricultural water were also inaugurated in Fars Province. Costing $3 million, the plants will help collect and process sewage produced by 7,000 people, which otherwise would seep into and contaminate groundwater resources.
