Fertile lands of Varamin Plain, 40 km southeast of the capital, in the recent past were irrigated with water from Jajroud River, but with the construction of Latyan and Mamlou dams and the lack of water supply, farms in the region shrank but the rise in water withdrawal from groundwater resources led to land subsidence.
Farmers in Varamin annually produce 855,000 tons of agricultural, horticultural and livestock products worth about $167 million, IRNA reported.
After Latyan and Mamlou dams were built and the water rights of each of the agricultural and drinking sectors were determined, it was thought that Varamin’s agriculture would prosper, but the region’s water rights were never fully extended to the agricultural sector.
Only in the first two months of spring, when there is an increase in rainfall and water inflow to the dams, water flows to Varamin Plain. However, as this water is accompanied by mud, it is never used for agriculture.
Currently, out of 80,000 hectares of land in Varamin Plain, only 38,000 hectares are cultivated.
Groundwater surveys in Varamin Plain show conditions have worsened compared to previous years and are creating serious concerns among the people, conservationists, environmentalists and health experts.
The steep decline in groundwater levels is having devastating consequences. Excessive pumping is harming groundwater tables and stopping wells from reaching groundwater. When groundwater is overused, lakes, streams and rivers connected to groundwater also start diminishing.
As the water of the two dams is only used to supply drinking water to a part of Tehran Province, the authorities considered replacing it with treated wastewater.
Last year, about 170 million cubic meters of treated wastewater were transferred from the South Tehran Wastewater Treatment Complex to farms in Varamin Plain.
At present, the second phase of Firouz Bahram Wastewater Treatment Plant in southern Tehran, which is one of the largest of its kind in the country, is near completion and set to become operational in summer.
The first phase of the project was launched in February, following which Tehran Municipality was obliged to seal 50 wells in and around the metropolis used for green spaces. The facility has a daily reclamation capacity of 190 million cubic meters.
When the second phase becomes operational, it will help decommission 150 water wells in Tehran, most of which are in Varamin Plain that is sinking due to land subsidence.
