TEHRAN - Head of Lake Uremia Restoration Program Isa Kalantari says 78 million Iranian citizens are responsible not to waste water, IRNA reported on Thursday.

Kalantari, who made the remarks on the sidelines of the third cultural and social meeting held to restore Lake Uremia on Thursday, also said that 21 thousand billion rials, (about $636 million) has been allocated to the lake´s restoration.

“As far as water is concerned, the next generation of Iranians will be considered “a burnt generation” and if serious measures are not taken, Iran will die out after 15 years,” He said.

“There are currently about 500 billion cubic meters of groundwater in Iran, 200 of which is fresh and brackish water and 300 is salt water,” he added.

He went on to say that about 130 billion m3 of brackish and fresh water has already been used.

Most countries in the world only use 40 percent of their surface water, while Iran has used 96 percent of the surface water, and Egypt with 46 percent stands second right after Iran.

---- Photo by Ezat Telli