Some 37 million Iranians are living in water-stressed regions, according to an official at the Geological Survey & Mineral Explorations of Iran.
Speaking to ISNA, Jalil Qalamqash added that the rate of precipitation in Iran is about a third of the global average, while evaporation rate is above the global norm.
"To make matters worse, per capita water consumption in Iran is also above global average," he said.
Per capita water use in metropolises such as Tehran and Isfahan exceeds 200 liters, whereas the global average is around 150 liters.
"We're facing severe water shortage," Qalamqash added.
According to the Department of Environment, 27 billion cubic meters of water are wasted in Iran every year and one of the most effective solutions is to reduce water loss by correcting consumption patterns in agriculture and industries.
Isa Kalantari, the head of DOE, has said that Iran's annual water consumption tops 97 billion cubic meters, while the country only has 88 bcu of renewable sources.
About 92% of the country’s water resources are used up by unsustainable and wasteful farming practices.
Experts predict that the country’s water scarcity will hit crisis level by 2025, when available renewable water will be less than 1,000 cubic meters per capita, down from 2,000 cubic meters in 1950.
They say if water consumption patterns do not change in the near future, many parts of the country will turn into barren desert and entire towns and villages will become uninhabitable.
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