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Tehran Faces Imminent "Day Zero" as Iran's Water Crisis Deepens
15 Nov
Summary
- Iran's capital Tehran may run out of water in a matter of days
- Decades of mismanagement and overreliance on groundwater resources to blame
- Severe drought and climate change exacerbating the crisis
As of November 15th, 2025, Iran is facing an unprecedented water and energy crisis that threatens to leave the capital Tehran without running water within days. The country, home to over 90 million people, has been grappling with its sixth consecutive year of drought, with about 10% of its dams effectively running dry nationwide.
Kaveh Madani, the director of the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, warns that "day zero" - the day the taps would run dry - is near for Tehran. Iran's president has even suggested evacuating the capital if the situation does not improve by late November.
Experts say the crisis is not solely the result of a lack of rainfall, but rather decades of mismanagement, lack of foresight, and an overreliance on groundwater resources. More than 70% of Iran's population is concentrated in a few metropolitan areas, putting a strain on the country's water infrastructure. Additionally, the inefficient agricultural sector, which consumes about 90% of Iran's freshwater, has been draining aquifers and worsening power outages as pumping systems fail.
The ecological toll on Iran is further worsened by the country's conflict with Israel and the United States, which has impacted its ability to address the crisis. Urgent action is needed to cut back on the economy's reliance on groundwater, modernize the agricultural sector, and shift to a more resilience-based approach to water management.
