Azerbaijan, Baku, Jul.1/ Trend F.Karimov/
Iran is currently facing a critical shortage of water as 70 per cent of renewable sources of water in the country are being exploited, the Mehr News Agency reported.
According to Iran's energy ministry, some 67 per cent of irrigation water is not efficiently used and is lost.
Over the past four decades water consumption in household, agriculture and industry sectors has doubled.
In April, member of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Mohammad Hossein Shariatmadari said the water shortage situation in Iran is reaching alarming levels, Mehr reported.
He noted that it is "one of the biggest challenges" of the country, as every day the reduction of the water flow in Iran continues.
On April 4, Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the government has plans to protect the country's water resources.
Addressing reporters at a ceremony to put into operation the Ardak reservoir dam, President Ahmadinejad said that protection of the environment and water resources are government priorities.
Ahmadinejad noted that high consumption of water in the holy cities due to the presence of millions of pilgrims and said that's why special attention should be made to water shortage in those cities.
Water shortage has always been a pressing problem in Iran due to its arid and semi-arid climate and droughts.
As international sanctions clamp down on the country, this issue has gained increased importance.
In 2011 Iran started constructing 134 dams with more than 13 billion cubic meters of reservoir flood control capacity per year.