Hamedan, the capital of the namesake province, and Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdestan Province, are among Iranian cities that have been dealing with water issues for years.
Although executive operations of water supply projects are underway, delays have caused the problems to linger after several years.
The project to transfer water from Talvar Dam to Hamedan has been halted for years due to financial constraints and this is one of the reasons that the western city continues to face problems regarding water supply, managing director of Hamedan Water and Wastewater Company said.
“Other than Hamedan City, the dam water will also reach 10 other cities and 160 villages along the way and we hope it will be completed soon with the help of the Energy Ministry,” Farhad Bakhtiarifar was also quoted as saying by the Energy Ministry’s news portal Paven.
Located in Kurdestan Province, Talvar Dam has the capacity to hold 500 million cubic meters of water and currently supplies water required for 7,500 hectares of farmlands in Kurdestan.
Water supply from the Talvar Dam to Hamedan is among the most crucial projects to help meet the potable water needs of the western city. The water transfer project has so far made about 52% progress.
“At present, the water resources of Hamedan City are divided into three parts: 70% of the water needs of the city are met by Ekbatan dam, 15% from wells and 15% by seasonal rivers and springs,” Bakhtiarifar said.
Emphasizing that the largest portion of water in Hamedan is supplied by Ekbatan Dam, the official said, “Unfortunately, due to the decrease in rainfall in the past year, the volume of water stored in the dam has declined to 2 million cubic meters while the figure was 17 mcm this time last year.”
According to reports, rainfall in Hamedan has reduced by 29% compared to last year.
Water Transfer to Sanandaj
People in Sanandaj are also awaiting the completion of water project from Azad Dam to their city.
According to the Kurdestan Regional Water Company, Qeshlaq Dam with a capacity of 224 million cubic meters is the main source of drinking water supply in Sanandaj, but due to problems pertaining to its water quality, the process of urban drinking water supply has been disturbed, Paven reported.
To address the issue, water is to reach Sanandaj water treatment plant from Azad Dam via a 27-kilometer transmission line.
The project will supply drinking water to Sanandaj that has a population of about 400,000 people. It is estimated to cost $14 million.
With a capacity of 300 mcm, Azad Dam is located on Gura River 75 km from Sanandaj-Marivan Road. Water from the dam is also supplied to the Qorveh and Dehgolan plains and used to generate electricity at a 10-megawatt hydroelectric power plant.
One 87-km canal connecting the dam to Qorveh and Dehgolan towns supplies water for farming in the two towns. Water tables in the region have plunged by over 18 meters due to the excessive use by farming communities.
Other Kurdestan Cities
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 the 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 products. Industries in the region include chemicals, metal, textiles, leather and food.
Regarding rural water supply, Bakhtiarifar said since last year more than 210 villages with a population of over 86,000 people have been provided with fresh water.
The entire urban population of Kurdestan and more than 80% of the rural dwellers have access to safe drinking water.
