Gonabad under siege from water shortage

Author: Hamid Safari

In recent years, the water scarcity crisis has become one of the country's most important environmental and social challenges; a challenge that not only threatens natural resources but also poses serious difficulties to people's daily lives.

Khorasan Razavi Province, especially its southern regions such as Gonabad County, is among the areas that have been most affected by this crisis. The decrease in water pressure and frequent outages have caused dissatisfaction among the people and have resulted in consequences such as migration, a decline in the quality of life, and an increase in the cost of water supply.

Meanwhile, villages are most vulnerable to damage. Currently, 13 villages have no water and are supplied by tankers.

Referring to water supply problems, a resident of the city of Bidukht said: "I am young and I can fetch water for my family from the aqueduct, but can an old woman or man who has no one else do this?"

A member of the village council of Nodeh Pashang, a village in the central part of Gonabad, said: “Nodeh Pashang village, with a population of 2,200, is suffering greatly from the lack of drinking water.” Bashir Graili added: “Unfortunately, we have been facing severe water stress for the past 6 years, and we have been completely without water since March of last year.” He added: “Due to the lack of drinking water, we have been forced to purchase the required water from agricultural wells with the cooperation of the village head and the people.”

Gutter

The deputy director of planning and coordination of Gonabad Governor of Civil Affairs cited one of the most important reasons for the problems of pressure drop and water resources in some parts of the city, including rural areas.

"The exhaustion and outdated transmission line causes the accident, as well as in some cases burning water and power outages, causing water supply problems."

The water resources available at normal times meet the needs of the people of urban and rural areas of Gonabad, but repeated events in the network and increased consumption of passengers have caused problems.

 ۱ Gonabad village without water

The governor of Gonabad, pointing out that many villages in the city are facing water shortages and dehydration, did not solve the city's water problems with existing credits, stating: "With this amount of credit we have, the problems of drinking water in the city are increasing day by day."

Mohammad Zarei noted: "Currently, about 2 to 5 villages have no water and are supplied by tankers.  "With the same situation we are facing now, 5 % of the city's villages must be hydrated with tankers."

Several water supply projects to the villages on the way

"The city of Gonabad has 2 villages and villages, of which 5 are covered by the services of the Water and Wastewater Company," said Gonabad Water and Wastewater Supervisor.

Mohammad Reza Akbarnia added: "Due to the nature of nature and consecutive droughts in recent decades, as well as the credit status, sustainable drinking water has faced many problems.  In the field of water supply to the villages, several projects are underway by the Water and Wastewater Company and the Army and Army Deprivation Degree, which will be completed by the completion of these projects, the water will be supplied until the completion of these projects, the water needed for several villages will be provided with tankers.