The ministry added that 176 dam projects are also being studied to develop surface water resources across the country.
It is proposed that dozens of additional dam projects be developed over the next 10 years as a strategic aim of the government to increase supplies of potable water and energy, the ministry added. Present reservoir development has about 32Bm3 of water under impoundment.
The plans to build more dams were outlined by the energy minister Parviz Fattah when officially opening a water distribution network fed by the impounded waters of the Shirvan dam in the north east of the country.