The increasing population, urbanization, and rapidly growing industries are intensifying the pressure on the world’s resources. When combined with the effects of climate change, water has become one of the fastest-depleting resources.
As a Mediterranean country, Türkiye is among the regions most affected by climate change. We are all directly experiencing climate change through increasing droughts, forest fires, floods, natural disasters, and the loss of biodiversity and ecosystems.
Changes in rainfall patterns are adversely affecting water resources and freshwater ecosystems. With declining rainfall, water stress is increasing.
It is essential to implement without delay the necessary actions for the efficient and sustainable use of our water resources to enhance adaptation to climate change and reduce vulnerability.
Considering that temperatures and evaporation rates will further increase, rainfall will decrease, and water demand, especially for agricultural irrigation, will intensify during the summer season, our Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Mr. İbrahim Yumaklı, has called on public institutions and organizations to use water sparingly.
Mr. Yumaklı emphasized the importance of implementing “reduce-change-reuse” strategies to use water more efficiently, particularly during the summer. In this context, he shared the following measures with institutions and organizations:
- Monitoring leaks, ruptures, and similar issues in drinking water networks and reservoirs, and taking urgent action to prevent the loss of potable water.
- In public green areas, such as parks, gardens, and medians, as well as in tourism facilities, opting for drought-resistant landscaping plants suitable for the region (e.g., honey locust, savin juniper, conical spruce, sessile oak); using efficient irrigation methods at times when evaporation is minimal; and, as much as possible, using non-traditional water sources (rainwater, graywater, treated wastewater, etc.) for irrigation instead of potable water, in accordance with relevant regulations.
- Controlling water use in car wash facilities and cleaning vehicles using water-saving methods.
- Ensuring checks are in place to prevent water wastage in public areas such as parks, gardens, and mosques.
- Implementing controlled water use and circulation in ornamental ponds located in parks, gardens, and residential areas.
- Using water-saving devices and equipment, such as pressure-regulated showerheads, faucet aerators, sensor faucets, and efficient flush systems, in commercial establishments, public buildings, households, and other places owned by individuals or organizations.
- Repairing leaks and conducting regular maintenance in toilets, washbasins, and showers in tourism facilities, where water use is particularly high in the summer, as well as using water-saving devices and efficient cleaning methods.
- Reusing relatively clean water within industrial facilities or processes in areas that do not require major infrastructure modifications.
- Preventing leaks in organized industrial zone (OSB) networks and internal facility lines, and regularly monitoring water usage by recording it.
- Prioritizing night-time irrigation in agriculture, paying attention to irrigation intervals, and opting for pressurized irrigation systems.
- Conducting public awareness campaigns to highlight the impacts of climate change and the importance and necessity of efficient water use; ensuring that informative posters about water-saving methods for urban, agricultural, industrial, and individual use, available at www.suverimliligi.gov.tr/kurumsal-kimlik, are permanently displayed in the service units of institutions and organizations, including building and floor entrances, elevators, restrooms, kitchens, and sinks.
These measures have been shared with institutions and organizations.