1st Water Council Held

1. First Water Council Held Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli delivered a speech at the First Water Council held at Meyra Palace. Minister Pakdemirli stated that they reviewed the Water Law within the framework of the objective of centralized water management and through collective deliberation, using the words, "With the Council Outcome Declaration that we will present to our President, we would like to submit the Water Law to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM)." Pakdemirli noted that the Council, which has been conducted under the presidency of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan since 29 March, has come to an end. Pakdemirli informed that the Council's outcome document will be announced to the public in the final week of this month through a program with the participation of President Erdoğan. In statements regarding the matter, Pakdemirli said, "Our objective has been to ensure that each of our citizens has access to clean water today and tomorrow, to protect our water resources, to use them efficiently, and to carry our water into the future with hope. The Water Council is our roadmap to achieve this objective." Pakdemirli noted that a total of TRY 284 billion in investment has been made in the water sector over the past 19 years and 8,696 facilities have been put into service. Pakdemirli stated; "We completed 600 dams in the past 19 years, which is more than twice what was built in the entire history of the Republic. During this period, we ensured the irrigation of 80% of our economically irrigable land. We completed 3,300 kilometers of conveyance lines in the past 19 years, which equals 61% of what was built in the entire history of the Republic. Thanks to these investments, today Turkey, with reliable drinking water service reaching 99%, has surpassed many developed countries."

TRY 41 Billion Investment Made in Water Sector

Pakdemirli emphasized that work has accelerated with the Presidential Government System. According to data shared by the Minister, in the past 3 years, over TRY 41 billion in investment in the water sector has completed a total of 1,100 facilities. Sharing information related to the Water Council, Pakdemirli noted that in the Water Council, all topics from A to Z in the water sector were discussed with a total of 1,631 participants comprising relevant ministries, academics, municipalities, NGOs, the private sector and water users. Pakdemirli said; "In 11 working groups, from water security to water law, from agricultural irrigation to basin-based water management, from water resource development to climate change and meteorology, we worked in detail for 7 months on all topics related to water you can think of, together with all stakeholders. Our 1,631 participants in the working groups spent an average of 920 hours of work per person to produce their reports, which they completed by the end of August. In accordance with these reports, outcome documents were prepared for each working group. We will formulate our action plan and begin operations."

Target: Increasing Water Efficiency

Pakdemirli also addressed the topics that stood out in the Council. Drawing attention to the importance of protecting water at its source and increasing efficiency, Pakdemirli said; "The most effective way to protect water is to protect it at its source. To protect water at its source, we are conducting work that will minimize evaporation losses of water stored in dams. We will make more effective use of socioeconomic conditions and accelerate projects aimed at water efficiency." Pakdemirli noted that they are targeting sustainable water efficiency, particularly in cities. Pakdemirli stated, "In our country, the water loss and leakage ratio in municipalities exceeds 35%. For 2020 alone, the financial loss amount due to water losses in networks exceeds TRY 1.9 billion. We aim to reduce water losses in metropolitan and provincial municipalities to 30% by 2023 and below 25% by 2028 through close cooperation with municipalities."