The project to transfer water from Azad Dam in Kurdestan Province to the Sanandaj Water Treatment Plant in the provincial capital has registered 60% progress and is expected to be completed by the end of August.
So far, 15 km of the 27-km-long transmission line has been laid, the Energy Ministry’s news portal Paven reported.
About $10 million have been spent on the project and it is estimated to cost another $10 million to complete. The project will supply drinking water to Sanandaj with a population of about 400,000.
With a capacity of 300 mcm, Azad Dam is built on the Gura River 75 km from Sanandaj-Marivan Road. Water from the dam will also be supplied to the Qorveh and Dehgolan plains and used to generate electricity at the 10-megawatt hydroelectric power plant.
One 87-km canal connecting the dam to Qorveh and Dehgolan towns will supply water for farming in the two towns. Water tables in the region have plunged by over 18 meters due to the excessive use by the farming communities.
In addition to supplying water to Sanandaj, Qorveh and Dehgolan, plans are underway to supplement water delivery to six other cities in the province from different dams, which need $80 million in new funding.
With the completion of projects in Marivan, Yasukand, Bijar, Baneh, Saqqez and Kamyaran, close to one million people will get access to potable water. Currently, 60% of the water for Kurdestan province are supplied from surface and dam water, and 40% via groundwater resources.
Kurdestan is a mountainous region and home to many rivers, lakes, glaciers and caves. It has a population of 1.6 million who are largely involved in agriculture and livestock farming. Wheat, barley, grains and fruits are the major products. Industries in the region include chemicals, metal, textiles, leather and food.
The entire urban population of Kurdestan and over 80% of the rural dwellers have access to safe drinking water.
In related news, Paven reported that the project to develop Sanandaj Wastewater Treatment Plant is underway and will be completed by the end of the current Iranian year (March 2023).
The plant has a treatment capacity of 99,000 cubic meters per day for a population of 465,000 people. The development program seeks to increase the capacity to 150,000 cubic meters per day for 700,000 people.
