In recent days, residents of Baku have faced a growing crisis—water supply disruptions across the capital and other regions of Azerbaijan. Citizens report going without running water for hours, sometimes days, prompting widespread frustration. Once-abundant rivers have seen water levels plummet, and many springs have dried up completely.
Authorities blame increased seasonal consumption during the summer, but experts say the problem runs deeper—even traditionally water-rich mountain areas are now experiencing severe shortages.
Ecologist Anvar Aliyev attributes the current situation to seasonal shifts.
“Rainfall has ended in Azerbaijan—late spring to early summer. Right now, people, livestock, and agriculture all need water most. On top of that, we’re experiencing extreme heat, which has further increased demand,” he explained.
Aliyev believes the solution lies in constructing dams on major rivers and creating surface water collection systems.
“Azerbaijan has substantial surface water, especially in spring. But most of it quickly drains into rivers and then into the Caspian Sea,” he said, pointing to the west and northeast regions where several rivers feed into the Kura River and onward.
He cited the success of a reservoir on the Aghsu River, with a capacity of 28.5 million cubic meters, which now irrigates 9,000 hectares of land. Similar projects on other rivers—from Girdyman to Balaken, from Pirsaat to Gusar—could ease the country’s water woes.
Aliyev also stressed the urgent need to modernize the country’s irrigation systems.
“Our irrigation infrastructure is in terrible condition. Modern technologies could regulate water supply based on plant needs. Automated systems require minimal human oversight and use water more efficiently,” he noted.
Another factor, he says, is Baku’s overpopulation.
“The city’s infrastructure—water, energy, transport—was built for a million people. Now it serves two to three times that number. Construction goes on around the clock. People are leaving farming and moving to the capital. That puts additional pressure on water resources,” he warned.
“Baku sits in a semi-arid steppe climate. We bring drinking water from 200–300 kilometers away. Yet we use it not only for drinking but also for washing cars and watering plants. Globally, such wasteful water use is extremely rare,” the ecologist concluded.
