Archive · 8 Nov 2025
Tehran Faces Unprecedented Water and Energy Crisis, Officials Mull Rationing
Imagine your city's water tanks are almost empty, and the power plants that use water to make electricity are not working well.
This is happening in Tehran, Iran.
The water in the dams is at a 60-year low because it hasn't rained enough for six years.
If it doesn't rain soon, people might not have enough water to drink, and they might even have to leave their homes.
The country also uses a lot of water for farming and for factories that make things like steel and cement, which might be using water that should be for people.
The leaders are worried and are thinking about limiting how much water people can use.
Tehran is experiencing an unprecedented water and energy crisis.
Dam reservoirs supplying Tehran are at their lowest level in 60 years.
Officials warn of potential water rationing by late November and possible evacuation if drought persists.
The crisis is exacerbated by six consecutive years of drought and reliance on hydropower.
Contributing factors include water-intensive industries in dry regions and inefficient agricultural irrigation.
- Who
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Deputy Energy Minister Mohammad Javanbakht
- What
- Tehran is facing an acute and unprecedented water and energy crisis due to critically low dam reservoir levels, potentially leading to water rationing and evacuation.
- When
- Reports on Friday; President Pezeshkian's remarks cited on Thursday; potential rationing by late November if no rain.
- Where
- Tehran, Iran
- Why
- Sixth consecutive year of drought, critically low dam reservoirs (some less than 10% full), reliance on hydropower affected by dried rivers and wetlands, and potentially faulty policies diverting water to inland industries and inefficient agricultural irrigation.
- Capital City
- Tehran
- Population
- 9.1 million residents
- Province Population
- 14.5 million people
- Drought Duration
- Sixth consecutive year
- Latyan Dam Capacity
- Less than 10% full (9% full)
- Latyan Dam Water Storage
- 9 million cubic meters