A delegation of Austrian investors arrived at the northern city of Sari to visit sewage treatment, waste-to-energy (WtE), and electricity generation sites, IRNA reported Saturday.
The delegation, comprised of three Austrian investors with a background in construction of WtE plants, will visit different sites in Mazandaran Province to conduct a feasibility study, Ahmad Mozaffari, head of the public relations office of Mazandaran governorate said.
Attracting foreign investment is of utmost importance in resolving sewage problems, Mozaffari said, adding that foreign investors will be informed of investment prospects and opportunities by way of such visits.
Mazandaran, with a population of more than 3 million, produces between 140 and 184 liters of waste per person, according to the provincial Waste and Wastewater Management Company.
The government plans to expand the number of WtE plants across the country. The investment is mostly expected to come from private and foreign investors.
Construction of five advanced wastewater treatment plants on the Persian Gulf coast using Chinese finance was finalized in December.
As per this contract, 46 million euros (about $56.6 million) will be provided for construction of five wastewater treatment plants with a total capacity of 230 thousand cubic meters per day, covering a population of 1.1 million per year.
The projects are estimated to be operational within 36 months.
