Officials and experts sound alarms over Tehran’s worsening water situation, saying the reality is “far more frightening” than official statistics suggest.
The head of Iran’s Water Industry Federation has warned that Tehran’s water situation is deteriorating at an alarming rate, describing the crisis as “more worrying” than even the regime’s official statements suggest.
Reza Haji Karim, in an interview published by Didban Iran on November 8, said, “The reality is that the water situation in Tehran is just as bad—and even more concerning—than what the president warned about.” He added that such warnings from officials have come “far too late.”
Earlier this week, regime president Masoud Pezeshkian warned that if no rain falls in December, water rationing will begin in Tehran—and if the drought continues, “the city must be evacuated.” His comments have triggered alarm and ridicule among citizens and critics alike.
Amid widespread water shortages across multiple provinces, Tehran’s regional water authority has also classified the capital’s water situation as “red and critical.”
According to Haji Karim, underground water levels in Tehran have fallen sharply, with 62% of the city’s water now drawn from underground sources and only 38% from surface sources—“most of which are already depleted or near depletion.”
He also questioned the official figures regarding water reserves in Tehran’s dams: “The claim that there is an average of five percent storage left is not very realistic. The truth is even more frightening than the official numbers.”
While reports have circulated about unofficial water rationing already underway in parts of the capital, Haji Karim argued that rationing “should have started much earlier.” He said the plan involves scheduled, rotating water cuts similar to electricity rationing: “Water would be cut off by district during certain hours of the day.”
Experts have proposed a range of emergency and long-term measures to address the crisis, including water recycling, efficient consumption patterns, public education, and reductions in agricultural water use. However, Haji Karim noted that these strategies “cannot be implemented quickly,” though some could yield results within months.
He suggested that treated wastewater could be reused in densely populated areas for non-drinking purposes such as irrigation, cooling systems, and sanitation. “In the medium term,” he added, “revising agricultural policies could help reduce water use in this sector.”
Haji Karim also criticized the excessive consumption of potable water for non-essential purposes: “We must prevent 30 million cubic meters of Tehran’s water from being used for construction or unnecessary purposes. Drinking water should not be used in flush tanks, and the province should not consume 1.8 billion cubic meters for agriculture.”
While the regime has announced plans to transfer water from other regions to Tehran, Haji Karim dismissed the strategy as “a failed policy.” He said, “Some officials believe these projects can save Tehran, but even Taleqan, a key reservoir source, depends on rainfall. With no rain there, the dam itself is drying up.”
Pezeshkian’s remarks have sparked harsh criticism, including from Hamed Pak-Tinat, founder of the Iranian Economic Activists Forum, who wrote: “Instead of holding pointless meetings with the Meteorological Organization and hoping for rain, find $200 million—even from unnecessary cultural budgets—and use it to replace Tehran’s decaying water pipes.”
According to official estimates, around 40% of Iran’s urban water network is outdated and severely worn, leading to significant losses. Nearly 1.9 billion cubic meters of water are lost annually through leaks—equivalent to the yearly consumption of 26 million urban residents. In Tehran alone, water lost from leaks amounts to 130 million cubic meters, roughly twice the volume of Chitgar Lake.
Despite decades of expert warnings, Iran’s ruling regime has prioritized dam construction and deep-well drilling over investment in sustainable infrastructure. Meanwhile, regime officials have frequently resorted to superstitious explanations—such as blaming droughts on women’s clothing and “moral decay”—instead of addressing decades of mismanagement and corruption that have led the country to the brink of an unprecedented water catastrophe.
