Feasibility of forming a water market in the east of Mazandaran province and optimization of participatory models in its implementation

Abstract
Background and objectives: In all the upstream documents of the water sector, especially the six development plans, special emphasis has always been placed on the management of water resources. One of the ways to control the supply and demand of water crisis is to create and discover the price of water in the water market pricing table. The implementation of the water market in a region requires many infrastructure facilities, which in the current situation requires spending a huge budget from the government to implement or complete these. Current studies show that one of the ways to solve this crisis is to use public and social participation.
Materials and methods: Since the vast province of Mazandaran plays a special role in the economic structure and provision of food security of the country and is known as the hub of agriculture, tourism and water industry of the country, therefore, in this survey that was carried out in the eastern regions of Mazandaran province By selecting 50 points in the cities of Sari, Mian Darud, Neka, Behshahr and Golugah and selecting two points in each village (100 points in total) during the years 2021 and 2022, the feasibility of implementing an official water market in this region and Also, by evaluating the partnership models, including the design construction loanmethod (DBF), construction lease operation transfer (B.L.O.T), construction ownership performance method (B.O.O) and public-private partnership (P.P.P) method, in an area of 1000 hectares in Behnmir basin was used to identify the most optimal model using the hierarchical method (AHP) and also introduced a new model called public private partnership with hydro-social approach (PSP) to form a water market in this area.
Results: Surveys show that the price of water for one hectare of rice in the years 1400 and 1401 is equivalent to 480 and 900 million rials per hectare of real water rights in the plain. For 1399, 1400 and 1401, respectively, water sales per hectare are 1.5, 5.4 and 9 million tomans, assuming the hydromodule index of water in paddy fields with the transfer of water from streams of the third and fourth grade soil to the amount of 10,000 cubic meters in the four stages of rice cultivation. Therefore, the price per cubic meter of water in these years has been paid 150, 540 and 900 tomans respectively in the private sector for paddy cultivation. Currently, informal water markets are operating in the eastern regions and water is being bought and sold at very high prices among farmers. But the informality of this market does not play a role in the management of water demand, and it is considered necessary to complete and develop the infrastructure projects of the irrigation network in order to make this market official.
Conclusion: As a result, it can be said that in order to innovate in this research by using the new public-private partnership model with a hydro-social approach (P.S.P.P) based on the water reliability model, which is the most efficient model in terms of water supply and demand, in addition to creating and completing Infrastructure, economic well-being, high efficiency of water can be the basis of optimal water consumption, due to the hydro-social approach of the convergence of stakeholders and water-sharing groups or water bodies (farmers' cooperatives). with farmers' micro-economy) should be formed and implemented easily in the region.