Desalination plants with a total capacity of 120,000 cubic meters per day are under construction across the southern Bushehr Province, the managing director of Bushehr Water and Wastewater Company said.
“The completion of these projects in 2023 is expected to triple the current daily processing capacity at 40,000 cubic meters,” Abolhassan Aali was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
The ongoing initiatives undertaken by the private sector are estimated to cost $160 million. Of the total capacity [120,000 cubic meters/day], 60,000 cubic meters will become operational next month, 40,000 cubic meters by December and the rest will come on stream gradually by 2023, he added.
Giving a breakdown, Aali noted that four plants, namely Bushehr, Borazjan, Vahdatiyeh and Siraf, with a total capacity of 60,000 cubic meters per day, will become operational in July.
Drawing a parallel between the cost of extracting water from wells and processing seawater in desalination facilities, he noted that the former costs around 10 cents per cubic meters, but the latter is 60 cents more expensive.
“Currently, 10% of the drinking water required in Bushehr Province are supplied by desalination plants, which is predicted to reach 45% in 2023,” he said.
“The household sector’s daily water demand in the region is about 400,000 cubic meters, of which wells and desalination plants account for 39,000 cubic meters and 40,000 cubic meters respectively and the rest is transferred to the area from neighboring provinces.”
Unconventional Water Resources
According to Jaber Mozaffarizadeh, the head of Water Quality Department of Bushehr Water and Wastewater Company, one effective way to tackle water paucity in the area is by collecting and treating unconventional water resources, including wastewater and grey water.
The official added that the collection and use of agricultural drainage water have also helped.
Referring to the region’s enormous water deficit, he said 50% of the shortage (15 mcm) can be eased by tapping into wastewater resources.
“The commonly used conventional water resources such as rainwater or river runoff will not be adequate to meet the growing demand in parched areas. Increasing water scarcity and the alarming lack of rainfall will further undermine access to water resources in dry areas, namely in Bushehr,” Mozaffarizadeh added.
Limits on conventional water resources for future needs call for a paradigm shift to unconventional resources.
Unconventional water resources are generated as a byproduct of specialized processes such as desalination; or that need suitable pre-use treatment before use for irrigation.
Unlike conventional sources, wastewater is sustainable. Moreover, its volume has increased in Bushehr over the last decade.
“Close to $100 million worth of effluent are produced in the province, which can be used in industrial and agro sectors. But this is wasted largely due to lack of wastewater treatment infrastructure,” he said.
According to Energy Ministry data, Bushehr water consumption in agriculture and industrial sectors exceeds 850 mcm a year. Water for different sectors comes from surface, groundwater and desalination sources.
Low Rainfall
Low rainfall and excessive withdrawal from wells in Bushehr Province have almost wiped out groundwater resources in the southern region, Abdollatif Abbasinejad, deputy for conservation affairs at the provincial water company, said.
“Some regions in the province get less than 50 mm of rainfall a year. Groundwater overdraft, more than 80% of which happen in the agricultural sector, adds to the steep decline in groundwater levels.”
Noting that the province’s annual water deficit is about 30 million cubic meters, he said the worsening water crisis compounded by the decline in groundwater resources is a threat and has led to land subsidence.
“Five plains in Bushehr shrink by more than a meter every year,” Abbasinejad warned.
The main agricultural products of the province include wheat, barley, onions, sesame, tomatoes, eggplants, lemons and dates.
Known as an industrial region, Bushehr is home to major refineries and power plants. The giant South Pars Gas Field and Iran’s sole nuclear power plant are located in the Asalouyeh County.
The water needed for these facilities is supplied from the Persian Gulf and their water consumption is not included in the data provided by the regional water company.
