AQR establishes endowment funded drinking water and syrup plant 

Areas related to endowment have expanded with development of services and technological advancements in AQR.
One of these areas, given the importance of energy in our country, is the restoration of a water well and establishment of the Drinking Water and Syrup Purification and Packaging Plant of the holy shrine. In this regard, an interview was conducted with project manager Seyyed Mahdi Talebian. The excerpts follow:
A well-equipped plant within the guesthouse
The Drinking Water and Syrup Purification and Packaging Plant of Imam Reza Shrine has been built on an area of 1937 square meters within AQR warehouses complex. It comprises three main sections: Water Treatment Unit, 200 and 250 cc Cup Drinking Water Packaging Line with Saqakhaneh brand, and Two 200 cc Cup Syrup Packaging Lines with Saqakhaneh brand.
The heart of this Plant is the water treatment unit, which operates based on Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology. In this method, by applying high pressure, water is passed through semi-permeable membranes with very fine pores, resulting in the removal of dissolved solids (TDS), nitrates, nitrites, heavy metals, microbes, viruses, parasites, organic matter, and toxins. 
This unit includes pre-treatment stages (sand, carbon, and micron filters), a high-pressure pump, two RO devices, and storage and final disinfection tanks. The system output is water with near-zero hardness and zero microbial load.

Restoration of a water well to solve a main problem
This project began in late 2024 after the restoration of one of the water wells that was endowed to AQR. Previously, this well was only used for washing purposes and irrigating green spaces, but with the establishment of the mechanized kitchen, a severe water shortage for washing dishes and cooking became a serious challenge, to the extent that 10 to 15 tons of water were transported daily from the shrine to the kitchen.
To solve this problem, officials considered several options, the simplest of which was supplying water by tanker. Given the high cost of a new meter and the existence of a well in the pilgrim guesthouse, it was decided to obtain a license to operate the well.
Finally, the well's permit was upgraded, 3.5 liters per second were added to its flow rate, and a license to pump up 6.5 liters per second of good quality water was issued.
Operating drinking water bottling line from March 2026
After the completion of technical stages, the drinking water production line started operating in March 2026, and we achieved several important accomplishments. The most significant step was the complete supply of water to the central kitchen and becoming independent of city water, along with annual savings of tens of billions. The second was the launch of the drinking water production line for Imam Reza Shrine ceremonies. Since March last year, over 4 million 200 cc packaged drinking water cups with the Saqakhaneh brand have been distributed among pilgrims and residents.

Good tradition of endowment for serving pilgrims
Water purification devices were installed and endowed by benefactors. Through this good tradition, we were able to provide a new service to pilgrims. As long as this device operates, water is distributed in the name of those benefactors, and its reward is recorded for them.
It is interesting to know that the raw materials for syrup production were also provided with the help of benefactors.
In fact, we were able to find a solution to a major problem in serving pilgrims through development of culture of endowment and vows. This model and culture not only helps meet the urgent and current needs of the complex in key areas but also can be a guide for responding to future needs.
In this regard, a visit to the production lines and projects by philanthropists is suggested to provide a suitable ground for benefactors and devotees of Imam Reza (AS) to become familiar with operational processes and existing needs in AQR complex.