Experts warn that much of Tehran, the capital of Iran, could run out of water within weeks. The country is facing a serious water crisis as major reservoirs are rapidly emptying.
Authorities are trying to limit consumption, while citizens are desperately saving water to avoid disaster.
"If we do not take urgent decisions today, we will face consequences that will no longer be possible to correct," President Masoud Pezeshkian warned at a government session on Monday.
"Water is already a limited resource in this arid country, but now the heart of the country - the capital - has been affected," said Kaveh Madani, director of the United Nations Institute for Water, Environment and Health.
With a population of around 10 million, Tehran could run out of water if consumption is not urgently reduced.
"We are also talking about 'day zero,' which could happen within a few weeks," Madani said.
Drought, poor governance and climate change
The causes of the crisis are multiple: decades of mismanagement of water resources, an imbalance between supply and demand, and the increasingly pronounced effects of climate change.
Iran is experiencing one of the worst droughts in its history – for the fifth year in a row – and has also been hit by extreme heat. Temperatures in some places in July exceeded 50°C, according to climatologist Maximilian Herrera.
"In an effort to curb consumption, authorities reduced water pressure in Tehran by almost half, which affected about 80 percent of households," said Tehran Province Governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian.
For residents of the higher floors, this means a complete lack of water. A resident on the 14th floor says his taps often run dry. Water is brought into the city by tanker trucks, and those who can afford it are installing tanker trucks en masse.
"We have never had such a situation before. This is new for Tehran," Madani said.
Desperate measures and little hope
The government declared a holiday in Tehran and other parts of the country last week to save water and electricity.
"Now, the possibility of a full week of rest is being considered, to encourage citizens to leave the city and reduce consumption," said government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani.
Over-pumping of groundwater, inefficient agriculture, and uncontrolled urban consumption have led to what they call – water bankruptcy.
"This is no longer a crisis - it is a state in which some of the harmful effects are irreversible," warns Madani.
In Tehran, groundwater is pumped so much that parts of the city are literally sinking, more than 25 centimeters per year.
"The capital is facing a long-term, systemic imbalance that threatens the very foundation of its water supply," said Amir AghaKouchak, a professor at the University of California.
Climate change is further exacerbating the situation. Iran's rainfall has decreased by more than 40 percent compared to average, and the dams that supply Tehran are only filled to 21 percent of their capacity, according to data from the state-run Mehr news agency.
Of Iran's 31 provinces, 30 are already suffering from a serious water shortage, Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi warns. When asked about the possibility of water cuts, he replied that he "hopes it won't come to that . "
"The roots of the crisis are not just environmental or technical - they are deeply political and systemic. The water crisis in Iran cannot be separated from a broader crisis of governance," AghaKouchak concludes.
For now, the country is waiting for autumn and hoping for rain.
"If Tehran holds out until the end of September, there is hope that it will avoid 'day zero'," Madani concludes. (A2 Televizion)
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