The Iranian government has called on citizens to use less water. The water shortage is increasing, while temperatures in the country are rising above 50 degrees Celsius.
It is the hottest week of the year in Iran. During heatwaves, the mercury rises above 50 degrees in some areas. For example, a temperature of 52.8 degrees was measured in the southwestern Iranian city of Shabankareh last weekend. At the same time, the country is facing a water crisis, with even less rain falling this year than in previous years, writes The Guardian.
Despite the heat, the government is calling on the population to save water. In parts of the Tehran province, some water supplies have been cut off, leaving some without running water for twelve hours. Several water reservoirs are running out and dams are drying up.
Due to the persistent heat, the need to save water, and the power outages, the province of Tehran declared Wednesday a national holiday. The government hopes to reduce the shortages in this way.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a sharp warning on Sunday. “The water crisis is more serious than what is being discussed today,” he said during a cabinet meeting. “If we do not take action now, we will face a situation in the future for which no solution can be found.”
Afghanistan also struggles with water shortages
Pezeshkian emphasized that not only is better water management needed, but that “excessive water use” must also be addressed. The Iranian Minister of Energy announced last week that negotiations are underway with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan on the import of water.
But neighboring Afghanistan is also struggling with a water shortage. In the capital Kabul, the search for water is a daily struggle, writes CNN. “Almost half of the water wells have dried up.”
This is not only due to a shortage of rain, but also to excessive water extraction in the country. More water is being extracted from the ground than the groundwater level can handle. This leads to significant increases in the price of clean drinking water.