In Istanbul, which was in the grip of drought during summer and autumn; The impact of the rains that started in December on the dams was not at the expected level. As we enter the new year, the occupancy rate in Istanbul dams remains at 37 percent, while the resources other than Ömerli, Terkos, Büyükçekmece and Darlık dams are almost at the point of exhaustion. The dire situation is also reflected in the latest statistics published by the General Directorate of Meteorology. In the November rainfall distribution map, it was determined that the rainfall in Istanbul and the Thrace Region did not decrease by 50 percent compared to the November rainfall last year. In the region covering Istanbul, rainfall decreased by 15 percent compared to normal and by 70 percent compared to the same period last year.
NEVER-ENDING CRUELTY
While an average of 3 million cubic meters of water is supplied to Istanbul by İSKİ per day, most of this amount is consumed on the European Side. Stating that the drought situation continues for Istanbul and Thrace despite the rains in December, former DSI manager Dursun Yıldız stated that the situation is dire and said, “The loss and illegality rate in Istanbul is at 19 percent. This rate should be reduced to 10 percent. “We are tired of saying it, but rude practices regarding water consumption such as car washing, garden irrigation, indoor pool use, carpet washing continue,” he said.
MELEN WILL NOT BE ENOUGH
Stating that the rainfall in September, October and November was below average, Yıldız also said, “The failure to put the Melen Dam into operation due to cracks in its body completely disrupted Istanbul’s water supply plan. In addition, the insufficient capacity of the Cumhuriyet treatment plant in the Melen system restricted the amount of water sent to Europe. After a while, it will not be enough in Melen and sea water purification will come to the fore.. However, seawater desalination is the last technical solution. This method is a technology that will make us dependent on foreign sources and its cost is still high. “The method in question is an alternative form of water production that disturbs the ecological balance in terms of its environmental effects,” he said.
ENOUGH FOR 8 MILLION PEOPLE
Boğaziçi University Physics Department faculty member and climate expert Prof. Dr. Levent Kurnaz is
Stating that they have been warning about the climate crisis and drought risk for years, he said: “Even in winter, we still see garden irrigation devices automatically activated on the roadsides. The people of Istanbul should pray for Melen and Düzce. No matter how much rain falls in Istanbul, the capacity of the dams in the city is enough for 7.8 million people. If there is a drought that affects Duzce, it will hit a wall. “This city cannot handle this population.”
BASINS ARE NOT ENOUGH
Former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization Prof. Dr. Explaining the risks in Istanbul and its surroundings, Mustafa Öztürk said, “More detailed studies should be carried out to determine the safe reserve of our groundwater. As water decreases, we turn to groundwater. Another important problem is water transfer between basins. The needs of the cities, especially in the Marmara Region, have exceeded the potential of the resources in the basins. “According to DSI data, 2 billion cubic meters of water are transferred between basins in our country annually.”
(email protected)
