Water Problem in Ahvaz Area Resolved

The first phase of a long-awaited project to divert water from Karoun River to Gheyzaniyeh rural district in Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province has come on stream, a deputy head of the provincial Rural Water and Wastewater Company said.
“The 60-kilometer pipeline carries 17,000 cubic meters of potable water (per day) from Sheyban water treatment facilities, in central Bavi County, to 30 rural areas in Gheyzaniyeh including Sofeyreh,” Adel Harbavi was quoted as saying by ILNA on Sunday.
Before the pipeline 16,000 people suffered chronic water shortages (for three years) as less than 4,000 cubic meters of water was pumped to Gheyzaniyeh district every day.
Years of shortages pushed the locals over the edge and a group of angry residents protested in the past weeks demanding clean water and warning those in charge of the rapidly worsening disaster.
Referring to the second phase of the scheme, Harbavi said a 30-km pipeline is being extended from Sofeyreh village to 55 rural districts in Gheyzaniyeh namely Nezeheh. 
“The project is due to cost $2 million and will be completed in September to supply 10,000 rural folks with piped water.”
Gheyzaniyeh is the biggest of the three districts in Ahvaz and is crisscrossed by main roads from Ahvaz to Mahshahr, Ramshir and Ramhormoz. 
It is close to Karoun River, one of the biggest in Iran and the only navigable waterway in the country. Nevertheless, for years the area has been deprived of enough drinking water.
Local residents in Gheyzaniyeh say there are at least 300 oil wells in the region, but the people have been suffering from water shortage for years. 
Despite the health hazards, an estimated 400,000 liters of water is supplied to residents in Gheyzaniyeh rural district a day by tankers.
Homes at the far end of Gheyzaniyeh have no running water and people spend several hours in long lines to get water from tankers. 
According to provincial authorities, around 700 small towns and villages in the oil-rich region have difficulty accessing water supply, especially in summer when people are forced to remain indoors as the mercury hovers around 55 degrees Celsius.
Khuzestan is home to the largest oil and gas in Iran along with steel companies. The Karoun and Maroun Oil and Gas companies, the National Iranian Drilling Company, Maroun and Razi Petrochemical Companies and Khouzestan Steel Company are the giant companies but have failed to shoulder their social responsibilities. 
In addition to the severe water crisis, the southwestern province has to bear the brunt of dust storms that have increased in both frequency and intensity in recent years. 
While a majority of dust and sand storms originate beyond Iran’s borders -- in Iraq, Syria and Saudi Arabia --domestic sources of the storms are contributing to the grave problems due to a variety of factors, most of which are manmade.
Local residents believe that the Department of Environment can do nothing of substance as it lacks the necessary political will and financial ability. 
Instead, they point the finger of blame at the Energy Ministry whose unending love for dam construction and water schemes has dried up rivers and wetlands in the arid province, turning them into barren land and contributing generously to the dust storms.