TEHRAN – Mohammad-Reza Bakhtiari, the managing director of Tehran Province Water and Wastewater Company, has said no water outage or rationing is on the agenda despite the 25-percent increase in the capital city’s water consumption in the Q1 of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-June 20), IRIB reported.

“Despite the 25 percent increase in drinking water consumption in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year in Tehran Province, we assure people that there is no water outage or rationing on the agenda,” Bakhtiari said.

The official pointed to the outbreak of coronavirus and the beginning of the hot season as the main reasons for the unexpected rise in the capital city’s water consumption in the mentioned time span.

The mentioned increase equals 600 million liters of water, he noted.

"This increase in consumption is unprecedented; in previous years in [the Iranian calendar month of] Khordad (ended on June 20), Tehran's water consumption would reach about 2.8 to 9.2 million liters per day, this year the figure has reached 7.3 million liters," the official said.

He further noted that as the summer heat upward trend continues, water consumption in Tehran is expected to reach four million liters per day, which is the threshold for the capacity of the Tehran Province water facilities.

In early June, Deputy Energy Minister for Water and Wastewater Affairs Ghasem Taqizadeh Khamesi announced that water consumption in Iran increased by 35 percent following the coronavirus outbreak.

“The outbreak of coronavirus has changed the pattern of household water consumption, increasing drinking water consumption in the country by 35 percent,” Khamesi said.

According to the official, in the first few weeks of the pandemic, due to the high sensitivity toward the issue and also the lockdowns water consumption by households increased significantly.

EF/MA