Karaj Residents Too Are Suffering from Water Shortages

As acute water scarcity continues to afflict cities and towns in the south-western Iranian province of Khuzestan and Sistan and Baluchistan in the south-east, reports have emerged about severe water shortages in Karaj, near Tehran, amid temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.

Water cuts have affected multiple areas in and around Karaj over the past four days, with the authorities attributing the disruptions to "incorrect water consumption patterns among customers” and “technical issues in the distribution network."

Tankers are being used to bring drinking water to some of the affected areas, but many residents are left with no other choice but to purchase bottled and packaged water to meet their needs.

In media interviews, residents of Kianmehr neighborhood said that the regional water department and other authorities have given vague answers to their queries, such as "the water tanks are empty."

Mehdi Mehrvar, the director-general of Crisis Management in Alborz province, whose capital is Karaj, blamed the citizens’ "increased consumption" for the shortages.

Mehrvar further stated that the authorities are implementing “measures to prevent interruptions in water and electricity supply."

The planned measures, which were formulated after various meetings between officials from Karaj metropolis and Alborz province, include the deployment of water tankers to all areas experiencing water shortages.

Such shortages – and protests over water scarcity – are becoming more commonplace across Iran, with poor water management, drought and corruption-ridden infrastructure projects contributing to the crisis.

The water crisis in Khuzestan prompted protests in the province in July 2021, which triggered demonstrations against the government nationwide.