Good Rains No Respite for Markazi Province

Despite good rains in Markazi Province the water deficit of underground sources has not been compensated, head of the provincial Water Resources Planning Department said.
“Precipitation in Saveh city has reached 112 millimeters since the beginning of the current water year (Sept. 22) -- up 15% compared to a year ago.  But there is no improvement in the depleting ground reserves,” Majid Amirhosseini was quoted as saying by ISNA.
Rapidly declining water resources has compelled the government to increase the number of plains from which water withdrawal is banned from 69 in 1968 to 405 now. There are at least 25 banned plains in Markazi Province.
 “Of the total 3 billion cubic meters of renewable water in the province, 91% is used by farmers, 5% for drinking and 4% by industries,” he added. Surface water comprises 700 million cubic meters of the renewable water and 2.3 bcm comes from groundwater resources.