Analytical Comparison of Attitude Change to Integrated Management of Urban Water/Wastewater in the Development Plans of Iran

The main purpose of this study is an analytical comparison of attitude change to integrated management of urban water/wastewater in the development plans of Iran, before and after the Islamic Revolution. The results indicate that there are four periods of changes in attitude towards this issue in Iran. The first period was initiated to launch planning thinking. In the second period, which lasted till before the Islamic Revolution, the planning system in Iran, after gaining experience, has undergone a dramatic change and some issues such as national coverage of the wastewater collection system, reliable water supply and minimum price of water, were mentioned in the development plans for the first time. In the end years of this period, planning in Iran was matured and all aspects of integrated management except water treatment had been considered. The third period came simultaneously with the revision of the constitution of Iran, after the revolution. In this period, supported by macro policies after the mid-2000s, a period of excellence in the approach of integrated management of urban water and wastewater was created. Also, a macro roadmap in the planning system of Iran was developed. The fourth period of attitude changes began with the beginning of the second step of the revolution and will last until 2065. In this period, the "Islamic-Iranian Model of Progress", as an upstream framework of the macro policies and development plans, have a significant role in establishing an integrated urban water and wastewater management approach in future development plans.