Iran has found itself amid a grave water crisis, made worse by five straight years of drought starting in 2020. The situation has reached a crisis. This crisis seriously affects the majority of Iranian residents throughout the country, notably in Tehran, where emergency water rationing measures have recently been implemented.
Similarly, Iran’s water crisis has rapidly expanded from the mostly arid central plains of the country to every corner and province of Iran. Currently, 32 of these dams are at less than 5% of their reservoir capacity. That’s a huge increase from just eight dams listed previously. This dangerous new development underscores how desperately our country needs to protect and restore our water resources. We need to bring the spotlight on scale and effective management and intervention right now!
And even Tehran, the sprawling capital city, home to more than 14 million residents, has seen a sharp drop in annual rainfall. Earlier this year, the city only got 1mm of rain – an event so extreme that it is referred to as a once-in-a-century disaster. In contrast, during the years of 1991-2000, Tehran experienced an annual average precipitation of about 350mm. It’s these kinds of stark contrasts that help illustrate how unprecedented the current crisis truly is.
Over 50 days since the start of Iran’s rainy season, an estimated 1 million people are still affected. Still, more than 20 provinces have yet to receive a single drop. Construction of the Amir Kabir dam, located just northwest of Tehran, illustrates the severe water scarcity plaguing Iran. What was a water-rich Lavasan River has almost completely dried up, exacerbating these alarming circumstances.
In reaction to the enduring calamity, officials have introduced water rationing programs in Tehran. Water pressure is limited after midnight, endangering residents’ access to this essential resource. With that price increase, residents have already reduced their water usage by 10% during the last seven months. Experts are critically cautioning them to do even more — increasing usage by at least 20% to really fix the problem.
At the same time, bottled water prices have increased dramatically and stores have imposed limits on how many bottles people can buy to manage new demand. The skyrocketing price of bottled water underscores the increasing urgency facing residents who are finding it harder than ever to stock up on enough potable H2O.
At home, Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, has warned that Tehran could face mass evacuations. In his letter he cautioned that things need to be better by mid-December. If not, residents may have to move to southern states where water supplies are more available.
These have been accompanied by an equally radical change in climatic conditions, with daily mean temperatures in Tehran +20°C and above. This abnormal warmth is part of the story that leads to increased evaporation rates from lakes, ponds, and streams, removing still more water from a dangerously depleted supply.
As of today, snow cover nationwide has dropped by a jaw-dropping 98.6% from this time last year! The rapid drop presents entirely new dangers to water storage facilities. Their provision for recharge during warmer months relies largely on snowmelt to raise their levels.
Grand Ayatollah Javadi Amoli provided a particularly stark example of the moral crisis.
“Sometimes cultural problems, social shortcomings and sin take away the grounds for mercy.” – Grand Ayatollah Javadi Amoli
His statements are clear that the continued drought is a result of a lot of things, not just natural forces. They point to deeper societal issues that deserve our engagement and action now and moving forward.
Iran now finds itself in a multifaceted crisis as the country contends with a lack of available water. To meet these new, urgent challenges head on, local elected leaders and residents need to change their practices and policies. This crisis is not only making things inconvenient. It continues to represent an existential threat to the health and well-being of the millions who rely on these vital resources each and every day.