Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian says the need to recycle and reuse wastewater is crucial to deal with the water crisis spreading rapidly across the provinces.
"The government has a clear policy to tackle the water shortage," Ardakanian said, adding that one effective approach is to stop tapping into the dwindling underground water tables and build as many wastewater treatment plants as possible to recycle not only industrial but also household wastewater.
Although water resources are finite and demand is growing, wastewater is a precious infinite resource.
UNESCO 2017 World Water Development Report says once treated, wastewater could be invaluable in meeting growing demand for freshwater and other raw materials.
Experts say that in industry large quantities of water can be reused, for example for heating and cooling, instead of being discharged into the environment. As well as providing a safe alternative source for freshwater, wastewater can also be seen as a potential source of raw material.
Thanks to modern treatment techniques, certain nutrients, like phosphorus and nitrates, can now be recovered from sewage and sludge and turned into fertilizers.
Out of the total urban population, 49.3% are connected to wastewater networks
An estimated 22% of global demand for phosphorus, a finite and depleting mineral resource, could be met by treating human urine and excrement. Some countries, like Switzerland, have already passed legislation calling for mandatory recovery of certain nutrients such as phosphorus.
Treated wastewater has also helped augment drinking water supplies in Namibia, Singapore and the US. However, it is marginal practice largely due to health concerns.
Two Main Users
The minister said 216 wastewater treatment plants are operating in Iran with an annual output of 1.2 billion plus cubic meters of processed wastewater.
Treated sewage mostly goes to agriculture (57%), and the rest is consumed in industries, urban green spaces and replenishment of surface waters and groundwater resources.
An average 70% of water consumed in households turns into sewage, "We are missing a great opportunity by not recycling such huge volumes."
More than 295 cities are equipped with wastewater systems and wastewater network has expanded by 61,000 kilometers over the past four decades.
"Out of the total urban population, 49.3% are connected to wastewater networks," he was quoted as saying by IRNA. The treatment plants handle sewage generated by 49 million people.
The figures pertain mostly to cities as wastewater treatment facilities in rural areas are rather underdeveloped. Sewage systems were built in villages long after the cities. That is why less than 1% of the domestic rural population is linked to the wastewater network.
