DURSUN YILDIZ: WE HAVE TOO MUCH WATER LOSSES THROUGH NETWORKS

With the regulation published in 2014, the time given to metropolitan and provincial municipalities to reduce drinking water network losses to a maximum level of 30 percent has expired in 2019. Only 20 provinces and metropolitan municipalities were able to reduce the water loss rate to less than 30 percent.

When most of the local governments did not fulfill the requirements of this regulation (e), a new regulation was published on 1 August 2019.

According to the new regulation, the time given to the local administrations of metropolitan and provincial provinces was extended for 4 years. The time given to other municipalities has not changed since 2014 for 9 years (2023). However, the expected water loss rate was reduced from 30 percent to 35 percent. These municipalities to reduce water loss to 25 percent before the date given to 2028 was extended to 5 years by 2033.


Water Policy Association President Dursun Yıldız evaluates this situation as follows:

"In developed countries, the average leakage rate of water loss is 15 percent is while the given  average 36 percent in Turkey. However, we have heard from time to time that the official rate is around 50 percent. At present, only 20 municipalities have been able to reduce the water loss rate to less than 30 percent. While our cities are under the threat of climate change, rapid migration and drought, it is difficult to understand the reluctance of our local governments in this matter. Progress is slow. Therefore, the time given to local governments was extended. Our water continues to disappear in the networks. The natural consequence of this is economic losses. Additional water demand is being met by new projects. The priority of urban water services management should be to use existing water more efficiently. Do we have to live another dry season for two consecutive years? In this case, the emergence of large-cost emergency water supply projects, such as the Kızılırmak project. In Ankara, the rate of disappearances is still 38 percent, isn't this a waste of natural and economic resources? In this period we have to prepare our cities against drought and floods."