Energy officials will never sacrifice water quality for the sake of quantity, a top energy official said.
Addressing a panel on "Water Quality, Life Quality, Social Security" held in Tehran, Deputy Energy Minister Sattar Mahmoudi said the quality of potable water is the ministry's redline and it will never allow it to be overshadowed by quantitative concerns, ILNA reported on Monday.
According to the official, under critical circumstances, the ministry may decide to reduce the quantity of drinkable water, but the quality will always be a top priority.
Pointing to the importance of the issue, Mahmoudi said, "Producing quality tap water is like a long-term investment to promote social welfare and health."
"Not long ago, quality was not a major concern as there were a few equipped labs," he added, noting that currently more than 800 high-tech laboratories assess the potable water's quality 24/7 and plans are underway to increase their efficiency by taking advantage of more instruments.
The official stressed that the country's water quality complies with that of the World Health Organization standards.
Mahmoudi said close to 29 billion cubic meters of wastewater are produced in the country annually, 30% of which pose a serious threat to underground water resources.
"Appropriate measures, such as promotion of judicious consumption and expansion of quality control stations, should be taken to transform the hazard into an opportunity," he said.
Imposing Fines
According to Nematollah Torki, the head of Tehran's Management and Planning Organization, Tehran's water consumption is about 1.5 times over and above the national average.
Officials have warned that if the current situation were to persist, there would be no option but to resort to imposing fines on households with high consumption.
"State and private organizations should also be compelled to use water more judiciously to help mitigate the impact of the unprecedented water shortage in Tehran," he said.
The unsustainable and dangerous consumption patterns seriously threaten water supply in the sprawling capital amid low rainfall and persistent drought.
According to the official, average annual precipitation in Tehran Province "has decreased by 50% compared to a few years ago".
Pointing to Tehran's water supply plight, Torki said, "Most people realize the severity of the problem, so they must consume water more responsibly."
Energy officials believe water is a heavily-subsidized commodity and consumers pay only one-third of its real price in Iran.
According to Mohammad Parvaresh, the managing director of Tehran Province Water and Wastewater Company, the leakage of "non-revenue water", currently standing at 23%, has dwindled by 6% during the last six years.
Non-revenue water refers to water that has been produced and lost before it reaches the customer. It includes real losses (through leaks, sometimes also referred to as physical losses) or apparent losses (through theft or metering inaccuracies).
According to the official, in line with efforts to reduce the loss, about 1,500 kilometers of water pipes have been rehabilitated in the period.
According to data by the Geological Survey & Mineral Explorations of Iran, some 37 million Iranians are living in water-stressed regions. Per capita water use in metropolises such as Tehran and Isfahan exceeds 200 liters, whereas the global average is around 150 liters.
