Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 30
By Khalid Kazimov – Trend:
Despite the recent snowfall in Iran, the capital Tehran still faces serious water shortage.
The head of Tehran Regional Water Authority, Mohammadreza Bakhtiari, has said that the level of precipitation in Tehran Province has reached 52.1 millimetersç which is 60 percent less than same time of last year, ISNA news agency reported.
Water reserves in the five major dams of the province currently stand at 568 million cubic meters, indicating a 22 percent drop compared to last year.
He further expressed hope that the continuation of the precipitations could help the city pass the water crisis.
Heavy snowfall blanketed much of Iran over the past few days, closing hundreds of schools and many airports across the country with cars trapped on major highways.
The adverse weather condition, which began late Saturday, touched more than 20 provinces and two-thirds of the population, delivering its heaviest punch to the north where it dumped some 80 centimeters of snow in the altitudes.
Iran's total annual water consumption is approximately 93 billion cubic meters, out of which about 92 percent is used in agriculture (86 billion cubic meters), 6.6 percent in municipality (6.18 billion cubic meters), and 1.2 percent in industry (1.12 billion cubic meters), according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
Up to 70 percent of water used in the agriculture sector is being wasted, Iranian officials say.