Tehran Inches Toward Day Zero as Water Crisis Worsens

DDM News

Iran’s capital, Tehran, could run out of water within weeks if immediate actions are not taken.

This grim warning comes as the country grapples with one of the most severe water crises in its history.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that authorities are now racing to manage an increasingly desperate situation driven by depleted reservoirs, extreme heat, and decades of mismanagement.

President Masoud Pezeshkian raised alarm during a cabinet meeting on Monday, urging urgent and decisive steps to avert a catastrophic outcome.

“If we do not make urgent decisions today, we will face a situation in the future that cannot be solved,” Pezeshkian warned.

The unfolding crisis, experts say, threatens to push Tehran toward “Day Zero,” a term used to describe the moment when water taps run dry.

Kaveh Madani, director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, said the capital is at risk of severe disruption if water consumption is not drastically reduced.

He emphasized that unlike past shortages affecting rural or peripheral areas, this crisis now directly targets the nation’s capital — a city of over 10 million people.

Madani, a former deputy head of Iran’s Department of Environment, said Tehran may face Day Zero “within weeks” if current trends continue.

The roots of the problem stretch back decades, with experts blaming poor water management, over-extraction of groundwater, and a widening imbalance between supply and demand.

Iran has experienced five consecutive years of drought, with 2025 ranking among the worst on record.

Climate change is compounding the problem, with much of the country now enduring blistering heatwaves.

Climatologist and weather historian Maximiliano Herrera told CNN that parts of Iran recorded temperatures exceeding 122°F (50°C) this July.

“Iran seems almost perennially in a record-heat status,” Herrera said.

In response, the government has begun reducing water pressure across Tehran Province, severely affecting about 80% of households.

Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian, the province’s governor, confirmed the measure earlier this week.

Residents living in high-rise apartments are particularly affected, with some reporting no running water at all on upper floors.

One resident on the 14th floor described his taps frequently going dry, leaving his household in constant distress.

Iran’s water woes are nothing new, but never before has the capital faced such a looming and immediate threat.

Reservoir levels continue to fall while water use remains high, despite calls for conservation.

Authorities are urging citizens to cut their water use, but the pressure on Tehran’s aging infrastructure and limited supply lines remains intense.

Experts argue that structural reforms and smarter water governance are the only long-term solutions.

Without them, this crisis may not only persist but worsen.

For now, all eyes are on the calendar, as Tehran races against time to avoid disaster.

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