Iranian authorities have urged people to limit water consumption as the country faces severe shortages during an ongoing heatwave. Iran‘s national meteorological service reported that Iran is experiencing its hottest week of the year so far, with temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in some areas.
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani announced that Tehran province would observe a public holiday on Wednesday due to the extreme heat. “In light of the continued extreme heat and the necessity of conserving water and electricity, Wednesday … has been declared a holiday in Tehran province,” she wrote. Temperatures in Tehran reached 40C (104F) on Sunday, with a further rise to 41C (106F) forecast for Monday.
Water scarcity is a major issue in Iran, particularly in arid provinces in the country’s south. The shortages are blamed on mismanagement, overexploitation of underground resources, and the growing impact of climate change. Tehran city council chair Mehdi Chamran urged people to “conserve water to avoid drops in supplies.”
Authorities across Iran have issued similar appeals, asking residents in several provinces to limit water usage. Tehran’s provincial water management company called for usage to be reduced by “at least 20 percent” to help ease the shortages. The company stated that “the reservoirs of the dams supplying water to Tehran are currently at their lowest level in a century,” following years of steady decline in rainfall.
The crisis has already led to reduced water supplies in parts of the capital, resulting in “water outages lasting between 12 and 18 hours” in some areas. Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi apologized for the reduced water supplies, saying the move comes “to better manage resources.”
As the heatwave continues to affect Iran, the country’s water management challenges are likely to persist. The situation highlights the need for sustainable water management practices and climate-resilient infrastructure to mitigate the impacts of droughts and heatwaves.