Due to the critical water levels in the Terkos and Büyükçekmece reservoirs, which supply water to the European side of Istanbul, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) has taken measures. It has been decided that, except for exceptional circumstances such as malfunctions and high consumption, no water will be taken from the Büyükçekmece Reservoir, and 50% less water will be drawn from the Terkos Reservoir to operate the system.
The water level in the reservoirs that supply water to Istanbul has dropped to its lowest level since 2007, reaching 19.62%. According to information from İBB, the total precipitation measured in the reservoir basins in the 2022-2023 rainy season was 23% below the 22-year average precipitation, with 579.02 kg per square meter. During this period, it was noted that approximately 490 million cubic meters of water were transferred to the Ömerli Reservoir and the Cumhuriyet Water Transmission System in 2023, thanks to the Melen Basin not being affected by drought.
Terkos and Büyükçekmece Reservoirs Reach Critical Levels
It was emphasized that the Istrancalar Basin experienced drought, and when factors such as high consumption and high evaporation were added, the water levels in the two large reservoirs, Terkos and Büyükçekmece, which supply water to the European side, dropped to critical levels. İBB has taken a series of measures for this reason, and it was stated that “approximately 380,000 cubic meters more water is sent from the Asian side to the European side daily, contributing to the Terkos and Büyükçekmece Reservoirs, and a rainy season has been reached without causing any water shortage.”
It was also mentioned that in the current situation, as long as there are no exceptional circumstances such as malfunctions or high consumption, no water is drawn from the Büyükçekmece Reservoir, and 50% less water is taken from the Terkos Reservoir to operate the system.
“No Water Shortage Expected”
In the statement from İBB, it was stated, “Under current operating conditions, there is no expectation of a water shortage in Istanbul in the short and medium term. It is expected that our reservoir levels will rise with the expected rainfall and reach maximum capacity by the end of the rainy season. During this process, the sensitivity of our citizens to water conservation is of great importance.”
