Despite the challenges of supplying water nationwide, there are no plans to ration water during the summer, the spokesperson of Iran’s Water Industry affiliated with the Energy Ministry said.
“However, if necessary, it is likely to impose restrictions in certain regions,” Firouz Qasemzadeh was also quoted as saying by the Energy Ministry’s news portal Paven.
“Since the beginning of the current water year [September 20, 2022], although precipitation has had a 6% growth compared to the same period of a year ago, it has declined by 16% in comparison with the long-term [50-year] average,” he added.
The official noted that unequal rainfall distribution has led to an increase in precipitation in the western and southwestern parts, while northern and southeastern regions experience insufficient rainfall.
“Around 188 mm of rainfall have been registered across the country since last September,” he said.
According to Qasemzadeh, while Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad, Ilam, Bushehr, Khuzestan, Lorestan and Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari provinces have had good rainfall, and the level of water in their dams has increased, dams in Golestan and Mazandaran provinces in northern Iran are not in good conditions.
“Plans are underway to impose restrictions on rice cultivation in the two northern provinces, as the decline in rainfall has become a serious issue,” he said.
“The vast province of Sistan-Baluchistan in the southeast is also witnessing a decline in rainfall. Precipitation there has reduced by 34% compared to normal conditions.”
Speaking about Tehran, Qasemzadeh noted that rainfall in the capital has fallen by 28% compared to normal conditions.
“The five dams supplying water to Tehran Province are currently holding 509 million cubic meters of water, which show a 10% decrease compared to what they held this time of last year,” he said.
