- Within the scope of the campaign, it is aimed to disseminate the water efficiency culture and implement water efficiency practices through workshops, trainings, seminars, awareness-raising publications and similar activities that will cover every stakeholder and all water users.
- The Directorate General for Water Management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will provide technical support to municipalities to prevent municipal network losses.
“National Water Efficiency Campaign” has been launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry across the country to ensure the sustainability of water resources and future generations’ access to them.
Türkiye is located in the Mediterranean region where the impacts of global climate change are experienced significantly, and is considered among the countries at high-risk.
According to climate change predictions for the next 100 years, water resources in the country are expected to decrease by approximately 25 percent.
In a country located in a semi-arid climate zone like Türkiye, effective management of water and sound planning of water use are vital. In this context, a number of measures have been developed for optimum water consumption. Planning water at the river basin scale has been initiated in 2011. The water budget has been determined at the basin scale with water allocation and drought plans, and action plans have been developed for the planned water use of each sector.
Furthermore, some additional studies and initiatives have ben carried out to adapt to the impacts of climate change and to emphasize the vital importance of water in all parts of society and to raise awareness. It has become crucial to use water resources efficiently and sustainably in order to use them in drinking water supply, agriculture, industry and other activities and to ensure the continuity of resources to ensure the access of future generations to water. With this sense of awareness, the “National Water Efficiency Campaign” was launched by the Ministry across the country.
In this context, it is aimed to disseminate the water efficiency culture and implement water efficiency practices through workshops, trainings, seminars, awareness-raising publications and similar activities that will cover every stakeholder and all water users. It is aimed to provide technical support to all water users with the prepared guidance documents and sectoral plans.
In addition to meetings, workshops and similar events to be held on a sectoral basis, visual and written materials and educational and informative studies are being prepared. Raising the awareness of women who have an important role in society through “water and women” meetings is seen as a significant component of the campaign.
A ROADMAP HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR THE ADVERSE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
In the current state of the country, it is anticipated that reducing water losses in drinking water systems from 33.5% to 25%, increasing irrigation efficiency in agriculture from 49% to 75%, and implementing clean production technologies and efficiency techniques in industry can lead to a significant reduction of up to 25% in total water consumption from clean freshwater resources. Therefore, the roadmap of the country has been prepared to combat the adverse impacts of climate change on water resources.
DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR WATER MANAGEMENT WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO MUNICIPALITIES
The Directorate General for Water Management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will provide technical support to municipalities to prevent municipal network losses. With the “By-law on the Control of Water Losses in Drinking Water Supply and Distribution Systems” published in 2014, the duties and responsibilities of water administrations to reduce water losses in water supply, transmission, distribution and consumption were determined. Metropolitan and provincial municipalities are obliged to reduce their water losses to the level of 30 percent at the highest until 2023, and to 25 percent at the highest until 2028, while other municipalities are obliged to reduce their water losses to the level of 35 percent, 30 percent and 25 percent at the highest until 2023, 2028, and 2033, respectively.
DECEMBER 4, WORLD WATER LOSS DAY – MUNICIPAL WATER LOSSES EVENT
Within the scope of the nation-wide water efficiency campaign programs initiated, the efforts are targeting the efficient and sustainable use of water in sectors with high water consumption, especially drinking water, agriculture and industry sectors.
Within the scope of the drinking water sector component of the aforementioned “National Water Efficiency Campaign” programs, “December 4, World Water Loss Day – Municipal Water Loss Event” will be organized. The event will include an award ceremony, sister municipality announcements, workshops and fairs. This study aims to share knowledge and experience among stakeholders on reducing water losses in drinking water supply and distribution systems and water efficiency practices.
The event will be organized in cooperation with the Ministry and the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye on December 5-6 in the Conference Hall of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, and the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Vahit Kirişci and Director of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye Fatma Şahin are expected to participate in the event.
In addition, Minister Kirişci invited the mayors of 81 provinces to the “Water Efficiency Campaign” to be launched on December 4, World Water Loss Day.