Urban Development Policy Making

Urban Development Policy Making

Feasibility Study of Reusing Urban Runoff and Treated Municipal Wastewater for Irrigation of Urban Spaces in Tehran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Zohreh Hesami 1
Seyed Alireza Taheri Riabi 2
Javad Yahaghi 3
1 Ph.D. Graduate, School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran
2 M.Sc Graduate, School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran
3 Ph.D. Candidate, School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran
10.22034/judpm.2025.554520.1070
Abstract
Given the population growth and the increasing demand for water, driven by factors such as climate change and evolving consumption patterns, efforts have shifted towards the utilization of unconventional water resources. In this context, the Municipality of Tehran has initiated a project aimed at supplying the water required for irrigating green spaces from surface runoff and treated municipal wastewater. In the present study, the water demand for both urban and peri-urban green spaces in Tehran was first calculated. Subsequently, the potential for utilizing effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants and runoff flowing through urban channels as an alternative to groundwater resources for irrigating green spaces was examined, taking into account both quantitative (flow rate) and qualitative (effluent analysis) characteristics. Based on the research findings, the Municipality of Tehran can proactively reduce raw water consumption for urban green space irrigation from 73% to 32% over a ten-year period by designing and implementing a comprehensive project for the treatment and reuse of urban runoff and treated municipal wastewater, while increasing the share of runoff and treated wastewater usage from approximately 15.6% to 64%. Furthermore, to further reduce water consumption, methods for aquifer recharge using runoff can be employed for more efficient utilization, along with modifying urban green space development patterns to decrease water demand as additional strategies for water conservation. Ultimately, this initiative has the potential to play a pivotal role in replenishing groundwater resources, thereby providing a more sustainable future for water supply in the city of Tehran.
Keywords
Unconventional water resource, Urban runoff, Wastewater reuse, Urban green space of Tehran

Subjects

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Urban Development Policy Making
Volume 3, Issue 1
Spring 2026
Pages 19-32

  • Receive Date 28 July 2025
  • Revise Date 04 September 2025
  • Accept Date 04 November 2025
  • Publish Date 01 January 2027