The third phase of a major water supply plan, dubbed Ghadir Water Supply Project, which is underway in Khuzestan Province, has gained momentum and progressed by 83% in less than nine months, the head of Data and Information Department at Iran Water Resources Management Company said.
“The venture that was expected to take 36 months will become operational in 11 months, as water shortage in the dry region has reached a critical point,” Firouz Qasemzadeh was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
The project will supply stable and quality water to over half of the 4.7-million population of the southwestern province through pipelines extending over 880 kilometers, he added.
The official noted that with a capacity of 24 cubic meters per second, the pipeline will transfer clean water from Dez River to 52% of Khuzestan population (26 small towns and 1,300 rural districts by September.
Located in Khuzestan Province, Dez River is a tributary of Karoun River and is 400 km long.
The first phase of Ghadir project was inaugurated in 2000 to alleviate the water problem, curb pollution of freshwater resources and reduce salt content in the water networks supplying Abadan, Andimeshk, Dezful, Khorramshahr, Ahvaz, Shadegan, Shoush and Susangard, as well as rural areas.
The second phase of the project was launched in Abadan 2018. Completed at a cost of $38 million, it provided water from Karkheh River to Ghadir Water Treatment Plant and onward to Samen Water Treatment Plant and about 75 villages in Abadan County.
The project added 20,000 cubic meters of potable water per day to the rural regions. With the help of the project, an estimated 55,000 people in the rural areas of the southwestern Khuzestan Province received a new source of freshwater.
The major project featured pumping stations, storage tanks, pipelines and treatment plants.
Ahvaz Rural District
Another pipeline project is also underway to supply water from Karoun River to rural districts in Ahvaz.
As soon as the plan is completed, the current capacity of the pipeline at 17,000 cubic meters of potable water [per day] will double and provide people in the region with long-term access to sustainable water, Qasemzadeh said.
The first phase of the initiative became operational in 2020 and a 100-kilometer pipeline carries potable water (per day) from Sheyban water treatment facilities in central Bavi County to 30 rural areas in Gheyzaniyeh, including Sofeyreh.
Before the pipeline, 16,000 people suffered from chronic water shortages for three years, as less than 4,000 cubic meters of water were pumped to Gheyzaniyeh district every day.
Years of shortages have pushed locals over the edge and a group of angry residents demanded clean water and warned those in charge of the rapidly worsening disaster.
Gheyzaniyeh is the biggest of the three districts in Ahvaz and is crisscrossed by main roads from Ahvaz to Mahshahr, Ramshir and Ramhormoz.
It is close to Karoun River, one of the biggest in Iran and the only navigable waterway in the country.
For years, the area has been lacking drinking water. Local residents in Gheyzaniyeh say there are at least 300 oil wells in the region, but the people have been suffering from water shortage for years.
Despite the health hazards, an estimated 400,000 liters of water are supplied by tankers daily to residents.
Homes at the far end of Gheyzaniyeh have no running water and people spend several hours in long lines to get water from tankers.
According to provincial authorities, around 700 small towns and villages in the oil-rich region have difficulty getting water, especially in summer when people are forced to remain indoors as the mercury hovers around 55 degrees Celsius.
Social Responsibilities
Khuzestan is home to the largest oil and gas plants in Iran along with steel companies.
However, Karoun and Maroun oil and gas companies, the National Iranian Drilling Company, Maroun and Razi petrochemical companies and Khuzestan Steel Company have failed to fulfill their social responsibilities.
In addition to the severe water crisis, the southwestern province has to bear the brunt of dust storms that have increased in both frequency and intensity in recent years.
While a majority of dust and sand storms originate beyond Iran’s borders, such as Iraq, Syria and Saudi Arabia, domestic sources of the storms are contributing to the grave problems due to a variety of factors, most of which are manmade.
Local residents believe that the Department of Environment can do nothing of substance, as it lacks the political will and financial ability.
Instead, they point the finger of blame at the Energy Ministry whose unending love for dam construction and water schemes has dried up rivers and wetlands in the arid province, turning them into barren land and contributing to the dust storms.
