APFED Booklet on Good Practices and Innovative Activities 2005 ...

2009 Showcase
Iran
Rainwater Harvesting for Sustainable Water Resource
Development and Climate Change Adaptation
Project Site Location Khorsan province, City of Mashhad
2008
2006 2007 2008
Background - Problems Addressed and Policy Responses
Mashhad city has low rainfall and uses groundwater as
the main source of city water, which has been highly
contaminated with chemicals released from the traditional
sewerage system. As the national countermeasure policy
demands that groundwater utilisation be greatly reduced
in both urban and agricultural sectors, a new approach to
water management is needed.
University students visiting the site
2005
Project Outline - Objectives and Activities
The purpose of the project is to demonstrate and evaluate the potential of rainwater harvesting as
a water resource development programme by building, operating and monitoring a well designed
rainwater harvesting system in Masshad city. During and after the project, technical discussions were
held to exchange experiences and provide supporting material for the decision makers at the technical
and political levels. A permanent exhibition centre was also established for local people and visiting
pilgrims, to raise public awareness of the project.
Impacts and Achievements
This project demonstrated that rainwater can be a reliable water resource in the dry area, as the
reservoir was almost full at the end of rainy season in 2010, with no leakage, enabling about 60% for
use as bathroom washing water. Public awareness of the project was raised through presentation of the
monitoring results at an international conference and establishment of an exhibition centre, frequented
by many university students and government officers.
Future Challenges
The future uses of harvested rainwater depend on needs and the quantity and quality monitoring
data. Further, discussions with relevant stakeholders at the technical and political levels should be
implemented in order to achieve sustainable water management by disseminating the rainwater
harvesting system throughout the city.
General Information
Name of the Implementing Organisation:
Khorasan Agri. and Nat. Res. Research Center (KANRRC)
Type of Organisation: Governmental Research Institute
Contact: J. Tabatabaee Yazdi
Torogh Agri. Compound, Mashhad, Iran P.O.Box: 91735-488
Tel: +98 511 3822370 Fax: +98 511 3822390 E-mail: Tabatabaee_j@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.kanrrc.ac.ir
Project Reviewer (NetRes / Collaborators) that monitors the project:
Tetsuo Kuyama, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
E-mail: kuyama@iges.or.jp
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