To help improve the quality of drinking water in Kurdestan Province, President Ebrahim Raisi inaugurated a project to pump water from Azad Dam to Sanandaj water treatment plant on Thursday, the energy minister said.
“One of the major water supply projects in the western province, the Azad Dam project was carried out in eight months at a cost of $30 million. It is expected to help enhance the quality of potable water and alleviate water shortage in the region with a population of over 700,000 people,” Ali Akbar Mehrabian was also quoted as saying by the Energy Ministry’s news portal.
The plan entailed the establishment of a 30-km water transmission line that will transfer 57 million cubic meters of water from the dam to the water treatment facility.
With a capacity of 300 mcm, Azad Dam was built on the Gura River 75 km from Sanandaj-Marivan Road.
A 90-km canal connecting the dam to Qorveh and Dehgolan towns will supply water for farming in the two towns. Water tables in the region have plunged by over 18 meters due to the excessive use by the farming communities.
Sanandaj has two water treatment plants with a total capacity to process 2,400 liters per second, but its Dehgolan plain has the highest deficit of 540 mcm, Chardavol 86 mcm and Qorveh 55 mcm.
In addition to supplying water to Sanandaj, Qorveh and Dehgolan, plans are underway to augment water delivery to six other cities in the province from different dams.
With the completion of projects in Marivan, Yasukand, Bijar, Baneh, Saqqez and Kamyaran, close to one million people will get access to potable water.
Currently, 60% of water for Kurdestan Province are supplied from surface and dam water, and 40% via groundwater resources.
Mountainous Region
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.
With a total area of 29,000 square kilometers, the province has 17 permanent and 24 seasonal rivers.
Zarrineh River, 302 km long, is one of the longest rivers. It flows north and pours into Lake Urmia, between the provinces of East Azarbaijan and West Azarbaijan, north of Kurdestan.
Sirvan River is another river that eventually join the Tigris River in Iraq. Simineh River is also an important river and an ideal habitat for marine species and birds.
Lake Zarivar is a waterway at the foot of high mountains. Its water is sparkling and fresh. Lake Vahdat Dam, to the north of Sanandaj, provides excellent opportunity for fishing.
The entire urban population of Kurdestan and over 80% of rural dwellers have access to safe drinking water.
The construction of Javeh Dam is also underway in Kurdestan. It is located 40 km southwest of Sanandaj in the eastern part of the province.
When completed, it can hold 350 million cubic meters of water, which will be used for agricultural and industrial purposes.
One of the main problems in the construction of the dam is the flow of sewage from 80 villages in Sanandaj to the Gavehroud River that will enter the dam. Since Sanandaj Wastewater Treatment Plant cannot fully treat the sewage, another treatment unit should be built near Javeh Dam.
Kurdestan Province benefits from many resourceful mineral water springs. The most notable are Govaz to the northwest of Kamyaran, Abetalkh close to Bijar and Baba Gorgor to the north of Qorveh.
Kurdestan’s population is 1.6 million and a majority are involved in agriculture and livestock farming. Wheat, barley, grains and fruits are the major products.
Industrial activities in the province include chemical, metal, textile, leather and food industries.
