Assalamu alaikum - Drinking water in Tehran may run out within two weeks, official warns
Assalamu alaikum. A severe drought in Iran has left the main drinking-water source for Tehran dangerously low, an official told state media, and supplies could run dry in about two weeks.
The Amir Kabir Dam, one of five reservoirs supplying the capital, now holds only 14 million cubic metres of water - roughly eight percent of its capacity, according to Behzad Parsa, director of Tehran’s water company. At that level he warned it could continue serving the city for only around two weeks.
This comes amid what officials call the worst drought in decades. Rainfall in Tehran province has fallen to levels almost unseen in the past century, and a year ago the Amir Kabir dam held about 86 million cubic metres. Parsa said there has been a “100 percent drop in precipitation” in the region.
Tehran, home to over 10 million people and fed by rivers from the Alborz Mountains, typically uses around three million cubic metres of water a day. Authorities have already cut supplies to some neighbourhoods to conserve water, and outages were common through the summer.
In July and August, public holidays were declared to save water and electricity as a heatwave pushed temperatures above 40°C in the capital and higher elsewhere. President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that the water emergency is more serious than commonly discussed.
Water shortages affect much of Iran, especially arid southern provinces, and are blamed on mismanagement, overuse of groundwater and the growing effects of climate change. Neighbouring countries are also seeing record lows in river flows, worsening humanitarian stress in the region.
May Allah make it easy for those affected and guide leaders to wise, sustainable solutions. Please remember to make dua for relief and consider small water-saving steps at home.
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