Water scarcity leads to closure of Tehran's public restrooms
Crisis Deepens in Tehran as Public Toilets Close Amidst Water Shortage
Tehran, the capital city of Iran, is currently grappling with an acute water crisis that has led authorities to close some public toilets as an emergency water-saving measure. This crisis, caused by a combination of severe drought, excessive groundwater pumping, inefficient water use in agriculture, and mismanagement of water resources, has become the main concern for Iranians.
The closure of public toilets, including those near and inside subway stations, is part of the government's water-saving measures. According to reports by news portals Didehban-Iran and Shargh, the government is denying Tehran residents a basic necessity by shutting down this essential service. Didehban-Iran accuses the government of this action, stating that it is a denial of a basic necessity.
The water crisis has led reservoirs that supply Tehran, such as Amir Kabir, Lar, and Latyan, to hold less than 10-14% of their capacity. This has forced the government to take drastic steps, including shutting public toilets to conserve water. The over-pumping of aquifers has also caused parts of Tehran to physically subside more than 10 inches per year, highlighting the severity of groundwater depletion.
In several districts of Tehran and at least 50 other cities, water has been shut off for up to 48 hours. To combat this, the government of President Massud Peseschkian is asking citizens to consume less water. Serious considerations are being made to reduce the workweek from five to four days or order a one-week shutdown of the capital to save power and water.
President Massud Peseschkian has spoken of a "natural disaster" that could worsen in a few weeks, as all the country's dams are almost empty. The situation is worsening day by day, with Shargh reporting that even toilets are being closed. Many residents of Tehran complain on social media that it is hardly possible to live a dignified life under these circumstances.
The government has implemented several water-saving measures, including widespread water rationing affecting over 40 cities, emergency water cuts, urging reduced water consumption, and launching aggressive conservation campaigns. Authorities have also considered relocating the capital due to ongoing unavailability of reliable water supplies in Tehran. However, these plans have been postponed due to the negative economic impacts but remain on the agenda.
There are estimated to be around 20,000 public toilets in the Tehran metropolitan area. The closure of these facilities is a reflection of the government's emergency response to an imminent water shortage crisis driven by climatic drought and years of water resource mismanagement, alongside urgent rationing and conservation efforts across the nation.
- The water crisis in Tehran, rooted in climatic drought and years of mismanagement, has escalated to the point where even environmental science programs are discussing it as part of the general news.
- The closure of public toilets in Tehran, a result of the government's emergency water-saving measures, has sparked controversy in the realm of policy-and-legislation and politics, with some accusing the government of denying citizens a basic necessity.
- Amidst the ongoing water crisis, discussions about the future of Tehran are not limited to environmental-science or general-news; they also encompass potential policy changes, such as moving the capital and reducing workweeks, due to the unavailability of reliable water supplies.
