Government Reduces Permissible Water Consumption Ceiling in Tehran

The continuation of drought and water tension, along with the rising trend of water consumption in Iran's capital, has led the government to change the consumption pattern in Tehran, reducing the permissible consumption ceiling from 14 cubic meters per month to 12 cubic meters per month. Accordingly, subscribers who exceed the set ceiling will be considered high consumers and will be subject to tariff penalties. The website 'Didban Iran' reported that based on the new classification, households that consume up to the monthly water pattern are classified as 'good consumers,' those who consume between 12 to 24 cubic meters (up to twice the pattern) are 'high consumers,' and subscribers who consume more than twice the pattern are classified as 'bad consumers.' The report also stated that the new plan to deal with high and bad consumers, which started last week in Tehran, will be carried out based on the new classification. According to media reports and numerous experts, the water crisis in Iran has entered a dangerous phase, and the low rainfall this autumn has exacerbated the situation. In this regard, Firooz Qasemzadeh, spokesperson for the water industry, said on Wednesday, January 3, that the water inflow to Tehran's dams has not been adequate this water year, and currently, 'the total reserves of the five dams supplying drinking water to Tehran are about 15 percent.' The head of the National Center for Climate and Drought Crisis Management at the Meteorological Organization also warned about the provision of drinking water in the country. Ahmad Vojdani stated that rainfall is 44 percent below the 'normal' level and emphasized that 'it is natural that we will have very complicated conditions.' The total data from the Ministry of Energy and Iran's meteorology shows that the trend of rainfall has been declining over the past 50 years, and the continuation of this trend puts Iran's future in various sectors, including population distribution, at risk of crisis. The decrease in rainfall due to climate change, along with mismanagement in the water sector, has created a crisis and water tension in various regions of Iran. The situation of the dams is critical; the provision of drinking water is shrouded in uncertainty. Reactions from Kaveh Madani regarding the claim of 'cloud theft' at the Iranian border: it is for 'inducing fictional stories.' An official from the surveying organization stated that Iran's land subsidence is five times the global average. A government official reported signs of subsidence in 359 plains in Iran.