TEHRAN – Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian has asked Tehran citizens to reduce their water consumption by about 20 percent, saying if they do not do so, the Energy Ministry will be forced to introduce water rationing in the capital. “If this trend [the high rate of consumption] continues, we will be forced to ration it,” Chitchian told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Due to a sharp decline in rainfall in the autumn, the water reservoirs of dams near Tehran have been reduced greatly, he stated.
Commenting on the excessive use of underground water, he said over 100 billion cubic meters of water has been extracted from strategic underground waters over the past few years, and this has caused the water wells in farmlands to turn salty. Over the past 12 months, 11 billion cubic meters of water has been extracted from underground water reservoirs, he added.
Chitchian also confirmed reports that the previous administration withdrew money from the accounts of the Energy Ministry to pay cash subsidies. “Unfortunately, this is true,” he added.