Istanbul Has Water for 3-months While Ankara Has Water for 5-months

Istanbul Has Water for 3-months While Ankara Has Water for 5-months Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli announced that Istanbul has water for 3-months and Ankara for 5-months. A written statement the Minister Pakdemirli stated Turkey’s energy, drinking water, irrigation and dam occupancy rate, respectively, were 37.5 percent, 32.6 percent and 32.6 percent respectively.   “We Do Not Expect Water Problems” Minister Pakdemirli stated that the daily drinking and potable water need of Istanbul is 3 million 200 thousand cubic meters on average: “A significant amount of this need is met from Ömerli, Alibeyköy, Büyükçekmece and other dams, as well as the Yeşilçay and Melen System, previously built by the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ). Some of the dams that supply water to Istanbul, one of the largest cities in the world and the apple of our country, are located on the Anatolian side and some on the European side. These dams are integrated with each other and water can be transferred from all dams to all parts of Istanbul from treatment facilities. As of today, the average occupancy rate of the dams supplying water to our Istanbul is 27 percent. Even if there is no water at the moment, water that will meet the needs of Istanbul for about 3 months is available in reservoirs. In addition, we do not expect any water problems in Istanbul with the rains in the winter months and the increase in the dam inflow, as in every year.”   Ankara Will Not Have Water Problems Until 2050 Stating that the occupancy rate at the dams in Ankara is around 13 percent, Pakdemirli said: “This rate was at the level of 12.7 percent on the same date last year. 1.2 million cubic meters of water is used daily in Ankara. It is not a correct approach to compare Ankara's water adequacy status by comparing the occupancy rates in dams. The dams in Ankara, which have a storage volume of 1 billion 500 million cubic meters, currently have 185 million cubic meters of water and even if there is no rain, the water in the dams is enough to meet the city's need for 5 months.” Reminding that the construction of the Ankara Drinking Water 2nd Phase Project Gerede System was completed in 2019, it was put into operation with a regulator and a tunnel, and transferred to ASKI, Minister Pakdemirli said: “Ankara’s the drinking water needs will be met Gerede System built by DSI System, waters in Bolu Gerede basin, lighted regulators and 31.6 kilometers in length, 4.5 meters in diameter, 40 cubic meters / hour capacity, is transferred to Çamlıdere Dam by gravity through the longest drinking water tunnel of Turkey. With the facility in question, an average of 226 million cubic meters of drinking and utility water is planned to be supplied to Ankara annually, and 170 million cubic meters of drinking and utility water has been transferred to Çamlıdere Dam this year.” Pakdemirli emphasized the importance of citizens to consume as much as they need without wasting water.