An estimated $2 billion have been spent on Tehran’s wastewater network development plan since 1995, the head of provincial wastewater company said.
"The venture has totally registered a work-in-progress rate of 63% and it requires at least $710 million to be completed," Morteza Ezzeddin was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
The official noted that the initiative was primarily supposed to be funded by the World Bank, but after the imposition of sanctions on the country, other sources, such as the Energy Ministry, the Islamic Development Bank and Tehran City Council, were tapped.
Referring to financial constraints, Ezzeddin noted that Tehran’s Water and Wastewater Company should pay to Tehran Municipality for drilling operations.
"Drilling tariff was $6 for each meter in 2018, whereas it has witnessed a sixfold increase in 2019 to reach $36," he said.
According to the official, the scheme was projected to be completed by 2023, but will become operational with a 10-year delay unless the municipality modifies its tariffs.
He added that close to 9,000 kilometers of pipelines are being laid in Tehran.
Asked about wastewater plants, Ezzeddin said a complex in western Tehran treats the waste produced by 2.1 million residents.
"Plans are in place to construct another plant in southern Tehran, which requires $71 million," he said.
Highlighting the importance of expanding wastewater network, he added that the grid can help prevent the pollution of underground water resources and reduce the need to tap into dwindling underground water tables.
The expansion of wastewater network has been a priority for the sprawling capital in recent decades, but lack of funds and rapid expansion of urban areas have slowed the process.
Tehran’s water reserves amount to 1.06 billion cubic meters, 70% of which come from surface waters and 30% are groundwater.
Combined Capacity
The combined capacity of Iran’s wastewater treatment plants showed a significant hike of 149% in the year ending August 2018.
According to Paven, the Iranian Energy Ministry’s news portal, 23 wastewater treatment plants with a total capacity of 6.2 million cubic meters per day have been completed in the period, which have increased the total sewage treatment capacity to 10.36 million cubic meter per day.
Currently, 194 wastewater treatment plants are operational in Iran.
The government has developed schemes aimed at curbing water wastage and overcoming water shortage that has exacerbated in the past few years.
Based on the figures, the total wastewater treatment capacity in 2013, when President Hassan Rouhani took office, amounted to 3.8 mcm/d with 150 treatment facilities.
This capacity, which involved the establishment of 11,000 kilometers of network, has tripled in five years.
Over 62,755 km of wastewater networks have been laid across the country. According to reports, 295 cities in the country are now connected to the wastewater networks.
