UN-Habitat Signs MoU on Tehran Water Management

The United Nations Habitat Office in Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding with Tehran Province Water and Wastewater Company on Monday on expanding collaboration in water management.

“The MoU is aimed at setting a framework for holding training courses on water and wastewater management, focusing on sustainable development of green urban spaces, managing water resources, expanding water supply and sanitation infrastructure and raising water quality and consumption efficiency," Mohammad Parvaresh, TPWWC’s managing director, was quoted as saying by the Energy Ministry’s news portal on the sidelines of the signing ceremony.

Drawing attention to the notion of sustainable development, Parvaresh noted that scarcity of water resources poses a pressing challenge.

Iran is located in one of the world's most water-stressed regions. In the face of persistently low precipitation in the past 15 years, experts have called for greater focus on collecting, treating and reusing water for drinking and farming.

Data show an average rainfall of 241 millimeters in the previous Iranian water year that ended in September. Though better than two water years ago, precipitation in the previous water year declined 2% compared to the long-term average.

“While Tehran Province has only 1.1% of Iran’s area, it houses 20% and 45% of its population and industries, respectively, and it is not in the vicinity of any river,” he added, stressing that the densely-populated province relies on water resources from outside Tehran, because of which sustainable water management is necessary.

Siamak Moqaddam, the head of UN-Habitat Tehran Office, also said it has formed a national committee in Iran, which is made up of representatives from several ministries and organizations, hoping that TPWWC, as a member of the committee, would increase collaboration.

“We have started formulating national urban policies in cooperation with the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, in which the TPWWC should also be engaged,” he said. Established in 2007, the UN-Habitat aims to help policymakers and local communities come to grips with the human settlements and urban issues, and find workable, lasting solutions.